


Breathless

by fanofpottah



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-17 03:55:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 41,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29343951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanofpottah/pseuds/fanofpottah
Summary: In a story where Tom Riddle is just like another student in Hogwarts. The same year as Draco Malfoy and Elizabeth McGonagall.~When Elizabeth McGonagall attends a party, she never imagines her entire life will be turned upside down. She runs into Draco Malfoy, whom she always considered heartless. Much to her surprise, she finds herself in his bed.Taking things a step further, Tom Riddle develops an audible interest in the Gryffindor girl, which she soon discovers is due to his desire for Elizabeth to become a death eater.It was just the beginning when Elizabeth thought she had it all figured out.
Relationships: Tom Riddle/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	1. The Party

The Gryffindor girl took one last sip of her drink as she shut her eyes closed to take in the burning taste. She dropped the cup on the closest table she noticed. It was difficult enough to see with her blurry vision.

Elizabeth could barely recognize the person standing in front of her.

She could tell what color their eyes were, their hair, and how tall they were. However, it was unclear who was who.

For her, at least.

Hogwarts held a party for the four houses to mark the first week back to school. Everyone was there regardless of whether they were only to check on what was happening or to actually join the fun.

Elizabeth was in the group who joined the fun.

Draco Malfoy was the one observing his surroundings.

He took his seat on the chairs located next to the tables full of desserts. On his lap was Pansy. The girl was playing with her hair while her hips tickled to Malfoy's touch.

Draco wore a serious expression. If someone was to see him, they would hardly believe he was at a party.

Pansy clapped her hands together and urged, "Come on! Let's go have some fun! Please, Draco. Please!"

"No."

The smile Pansy wore on her face suddenly vanished, "Please?" she held onto Malfoy's shoulders, "It's not like I'm asking you to join me in torture!" She sneered.

"Get off of me, Pansy." Malfoy pushed her hands off his shoulders and rose up from the table.

"Where are you going?" Blaise joined the conversation, "The fun is just starting!" he offered the second drink in his hand to Draco.

"What are we partying for? The school opening?" He argued.

Pansy and Blaise remained silent.

"Call me when there is actually a party." He then turned away and started finding his way to the exit door.

The sound of the music started to echo in Elizabeth's head while the 7th drink in her hand was spilling everywhere. She had her left hand on her hair, twirling it in every direction, while she was dancing to every beat.

She started to walk backward and suddenly bumped into something. It was too soft to be a wall. Perhaps it was someone she crashed into.

Immediately, the Gryffindor girl turned around in panic. The drink didn't stay stable in her hand, it spilled on the black shirt that the boy she bumped into was wearing.

"Watch where you're going, mudblood," Draco winced and took a step back to ignore more of the drink Elizabeth was spilling.

"I'm not a mudblood!" Elizabeth defended herself, "I'm a girl- a girl who is clearly having fun and you're ruining it!" She muttered under her breath. Her head was dizzy while she didn't know what direction her feet needed to go.

"I'm ruining your fun?" Draco repeated, "You're the one spilling your drink on my shirt!" He took a long breath, "Idiot."

"Stop being so mean," Elizabeth felt as if she could faint any second, her head was banging and her balance was off. "Why are you so mean?!"

"Mean? Now I'm the mean one?"

Elizabeth tilted her head to her right and smirked at Malfoy.

"Oh please," he snapped, "I don't have time for this nonsense."

He turned his back to Elizabeth and, just as he was walking away, he heard someone fall to the ground.

He sighed and looked back to see Elizabeth unconscious on the floor.

The Slytherin boy was hesitant about whether to pick her up or leave her helpless on the ground.

He decided to walk away.

After a couple of steps, guilt rushed into his veins. He sighed even more and turned back around to get Elizabeth.

He slid his right arm beneath her back and then used his left arm to lift up her legs. As Draco was carrying the girl out of the party, the girl's head moved to her sides.

Soon enough, they reached his dorm. The Slytherin boy kicked the door using his foot, in an instant, the door flew back and the space was enough for them to enter.

He gently laid her on his bed. The second Elizabeth made contact with the sheets of the bed, her eyes opened. "Where did you bring me?" she mumbled, slowly blinking.

Draco didn't answer.

"I said-" Elizabeth tried to stand up, her voice was still low, "Where did you bring me?" She felt as if a person entered her head and was kicking every part of it with rocks. The girl placed her hands on the sides of her head and shut her eyes closed.

"Lay back down," Draco pushed her on the bed again, "You're drunk."

"Oh really?" Elizabeth teased while getting more comfortable on the bed, "I didn't know that." She extended her arms and cracked her bones.

There was a long silence.

"Wanna know something cool?" Elizabeth broke the silence.

"No."

"Well, I'm going to tell you anyway."

"Don't-"

The stubborn girl cut him off and started talking, "I learned my marvelous dance moves from my mother."

Draco stared at her in confusion, standing up like a statue. "If she saw what I saw at the party, she'd be disappointed in you."

"She can't be disappointed in me anymore."

"Why?"

"She's dead."

"Oh," Draco commented, finding Elizabeth quite eerie.

Another silence occurred, but this time Elizabeth was alone in the room. Draco had left and didn't give time for her to ask his destination.

Once he arrived back, he had two mugs in his hand. "I brought coffee." He informed her, "It'll help you get sober."

"Wow." Elizabeth was almost amazed, "Draco the Malfoy is being nice. That's the first." she joked as her hands reached for the coffee.

She covered the mug with her hands and made them warm. After the heat was faded, she started drinking it.

The whole time, Draco was on the other side of the room. Leaning against the wall and drinking his coffee while watching Elizabeth.

After a couple of sips from her coffee, Elizabeth noticed Draco's shirt, "What happened to your shirt?"

"You did it."

"Really?" Elizabeth burst out laughing, "I must have forgotten."

"How many drinks did you have?" Draco questioned in irritation.

"Don't know mum, I didn't count." she continued laughing more. In a rage, Malfoy harshly put his mug on the table and took off his shirt.

Elizabeth watched in amusement while her chuckles stopped and a smirk grew on her face once again.

Malfoy's wardrobe was right next to his bed, while he walked to reach it, Elizabeth gripped his wrist and pulled him into his own bed.

Making him fall down on her.

"What do you think you're doing?" he hissed.

"You looked- seducing."

"You're drunk-" Draco opened his mouth to speak out her name only to realize he didn't even know it.

"And drunk people make mistakes." Elizabeth casually drew a line from his shoulders down to his belt.

Draco quickly held her wrist, tight, and stared into her soul. "Whatever happens, don't hold me accountable for it. You're the one who wants it."

Elizabeth shook her up and down.

The two just looked at each other with dirty thoughts filling their brain.

"The mistake I'm about to make right now is your fault. Understood?" Draco declared.

"Understood." Elizabeth agreed. Tension filled her up-beating veins. Her legs started shaking while a weird feeling stood in between.

She never felt this way before.

Draco was used to it. He was so used to girls begging for him. Wanting him. So it came as no surprise that Elizabeth wanted him.

The boy lowered his head, making their noses slightly touching. Elizabeth could feel her heart slowly ripping away from her body.

"I can hear your heartbeat," Draco whispered into her ear.

"Shut up and kiss me."

Draco obeyed.

Their lips connected. Draco's hands explored her body while her hands were stuck around his neck. Pulling him closer. She took the taste in, taking a second break in between to gasp for breath.

"Now this is a real party," he proudly commented while Elizabeth didn't want to stop whatever they were doing.

But she was still drunk.

She pulled his mouth back to hers and opened her mouth enough for Draco's tongue to swipe in. He took the hint and licked her tongue while holding her neck. His sharp rings pressed hard on her skin.

She was cold to his touch but she wanted more.  
It was addicting.

Elizabeth slowly pulled her lips away from Malfoy's lips. She stared at him, unsure of what she is doing or why she is doing it.

But all she knew was she liked it.

He smirked and started kissing her again, knowing the control he held over her. He bit the lower part of her lip and when Elizabeth pulled away and gasped, he started leaving kisses down her jaw to her neck.

Elizabeth held onto Malfoy's shoulders, tight. He was so unpredictable for her. She couldn't predict or guess what his next move was, so it was harder for her to go along with it.

Although she somehow managed it.

Malfoy made sure he left marks down her neck. He went back to each mark and made them more clear as he bit on her skin. Elizabeth continued to breathe for air and gasp while Draco enjoyed the sounds she made.

After a while, the two were completely naked and enjoying each other's company. At the same time, the coffee Draco brought to keep Elizabeth sober realized how it was of no use.

They both fell asleep.

The next morning, Elizabeth slowly started blinking through her sleep. She saw a terrifying nightmare. She was making out with Draco the whole night in her nightmare. The poor girl was thankful that it was just a dream until she noticed Draco sleeping naked right next to her.

She trembled and felt herself fall out the bed. The blanket she had on herself also came down with her. Draco woke up due to the noise.

She covered her body with the blanket and processed everything. Or she tried to.

"Good morning," Draco casually spoke. After getting no response, he buried his head into his pillow and continued sleeping. Elizabeth's eyes widened as she realized who was standing right in front of her.

Draco Malfoy.

The boy who everyone talked evil about.

The person who everyone claimed was careless and heartless. That he had no emotion. No sanity.

Selfish.

The Gryffindor girl started blinking faster. She started walking back and crashed to Malfoys desk. Making more noise.

"Could you keep it quiet, please, I'm trying to sleep," he advised, "you did keep me up all night."

"You- you- you slept with me." Elizabeth stammered. "You-"

"Yes," Malfoy said, lifting his head off the pillow. Looking toward her, he went on, "Don't flatter yourself, I simply sleep with whomever I want. Nothing more, nothing less."

Elizabeth couldn't believe what he said. Her face showed a scared expression as she realized what she had done more and more each minute.

"I did tell you that what happened last night was your fault. Don't hold me accountable for it. And plus it shouldn't be that bad to sleep with-"

"Shut up!" Elizabeth hissed, "Shut up. Shut up. Shut up." she repeated. Her head was pounding. She slowly remembered the party last night, each drink she drank. She recalled fainting and Draco bringing her to his room.

Draco laughed at her. He found it amusing that she was scared. Worried.

"Let me guess, you're a Gryffindor."

Elizabeth didn't say anything, "Where are my clothes?" she asked in a panic.

"I knew that because Gryffindor's acts like they are brave then they get scared. Then the next day they claim that nothing happened and run away from their mistakes. They focus on-"

"Where are my clothes?!" Elizabeth shouted.

"I ripped them."

"You- you what?"

"I ripped them. That dress you were wearing was too formal anyway."

"I liked that dress," Elizabeth preached. The room fell silent, the only noise was Draco casually humming. "You don't expect me to go out there naked, do you?"

"Why not?" he sang and smirked.

Elizabeth grew more scared.

"Oh come on, Gryffindor, I'm not that mean."

Slowly, he stepped out of bed. He wrapped a blanket around his legs and picked up an oversized black shirt from his closet. "Here," he handed it to her, "Wear this, you can bring it back later."

"Pants?"

"I don't have any pants suitable for a girl," he intended to finish the sentence with her name, but once again he didn't know it.

The Gryffindor girl hesitantly grabbed the shirt and continued standing in the same position. Not moving.

"I'll turn around," Draco said. And he did. He turned his back to Elizabeth while she questioned whether or not to wear his shirt. In the end, she put his shirt on.

"I'll -- I'll leave," she rushed to the door and opened it. Draco did not speak behind her, but she heard the door shut behind her.

On her way downstairs to get out of the common room, she noticed a boy reading on the couch. The boy slowly turned around upon hearing her footsteps.

Elizabeth's soul had already left her body when she noticed who he was.

Tom Riddle.


	2. The Girl He Loves

Elizabeth was dependable and hard-working. Kind. Caring. She was sensitive as well. But she never wanted to associate with Slytherins.

She always saw the Slytherin's as an enemy to Gryffindor. She'd always notice Malfoy bullying Hermione, Harry, and Ron.

The girl would also notice Tom doing the same.

But Draco Malfoy and Tom Riddle were not friends. They were like the enemies within their own house. Both wanted to be the leader of Slytherin. Which was more chaotic than ever. The two were spotted fighting physically more than once.

But they did share traits.

Both Tom and Draco had a girl in bed every night. They were both known as unsympathetic. No heart. Instead a rock in the place of where their heart should be.

And Elizabeth knew this.

Since her first year, she did everything to avoid both of them. She was successful for 5 years. But she lost all that hard-work when she fainted in front of Draco the other night.

"Hello there," Tom closed the book he was holding, "Who are you sneaking away from?" he whispered.

Elizabeth gulped.

Tom patiently waited for her to answer him. He tilted his head to his side and smiled at her. But it wasn't a sympathetic one. It was a cruel smile.

"Who did you sleep with?" he asked. But the way he asked was requiring Elizabeth to answer him. "Probably Malfoy," he guessed, "Only the girls who sleep with him try to sneak out. The ones that sleep with me never want to leave." He bragged.

Elizabeth started walking away, not answering him. Feeling embarrassed to have her name next to Malfoy. She reached the door and right when she was opening the knob, Tom started talking again.

"The girl he loves is midnight," he started reading out the book he was holding, "like the blue of the sea cradled by the moonlight. The girl he loves is verdant, the very green of the hill kissed by the summer delight..."

Elizabeth eased. She was lost inside the words Tom was reciting. His voice calmed her down and distracted her from Malfoy.

"...The girl he loves is coral, as pink as the roses that grow in his mother's garden. The girl he loves is crimson, red like the autumn leaves that lay abandoned-"

Elizabeth recalled this poem. It was written by Nikita Gill. She continued from where Tom left off.

"The girl he loves I can never be," They both said it at the same time. When Tom realized she was intending to continue reading it, he closed his book again and started walking towards her.

"Because he is allergic to violets. And violets are too much like me." Elizabeth finished and took a deep breath.

Her body was glued to the door. The side of her face was cold due to the door being cold next to her. She felt Tom's presence right behind her.

He reeked of freshness. His chest gently touched her back. It felt as if the entire sea stood behind her. The smell of the sand and ocean filled her nose.

"Do you believe in it?" Tom leaned towards her ear and made his voice repeat in Elizabeth's brain.

"Believe in what?" Elizabeth murmured back.

"Love."

"Don't you?"

"No."

Elizabeth turned her body to face his face as he stared back at her. Tom's hands were on his side, but when Elizabeth looked down he held her chin and made her look back up to him.

"Do you believe in love?" he asked again.

"Yes," Elizabeth admitted.

"Pathetic," he let go of her chin, "There is no such thing as love. Love is in the disguise of weakness."

"That's because you don't believe in it," Elizabeth backed up her answer. When Tom stared at her in confusion, she went on, "You can see and feel anything you choose to believe in."

"Is that so?"

Elizabeth shook her head up and down, "If you don't believe in love, then why are you reading a poem about love?"

Riddle didn't have an answer.

"Whatever," Elizabeth realized she was getting sidetracked, "I need to go." Before she reached for the doorknob, Tom held her wrist and trapped her in between his arms.

He swam around her eyes for a while. Tom's closeness to Elizabeth made her start breathing heavily.

Then, hesitantly, the boy let go of her wrists and backed away a couple of steps. Without any other words being said, Elizabeth ran away from the Slytherin common room.

She found her way to her own common room. Trying to avoid any eyes spying on her and her amazing outfit.

She could not help but cry slowly as tears slowly poured from her eyes. Yes, she did try to hold them back. But the more she held them back, the more came down.

The girl didn't bother wiping them away.

Elizabeth saw herself as a good person. But good had so many different definitions for everyone.

Maybe her definition was wrong.

When it came to her, a person who didn't pay attention to the ones who were seemed like the enemy was being good.

But maybe the enemy was what would make her good.

Caring for the enemy. Loving them.  
Or would it just make her even more miserable?

She continued walking through the hallways, trying to reach her common room without falling on her knees and crying.

She had finally arrived. She mumbled the password and went in. Hermione was reading a book by the fireplace as she relaxed on the couch. When their eyes met, she jumped out of her seat.

"Finally!" She shut her book closed and approached next to Elizabeth, "I've been worried for you. You disappeared from the party. Are you alright?" Hermione was close enough to Elizabeth to see her eyes dropping tears, non-stop. "Oh gosh- what happened?"

She pulled Elizabeth into a tight comforting hug.  
Somehow, the hug made Elizabeth cry more.

"Talk to me, Elizabeth, are you ok?" Hermione questioned, sounding concerned.

"I'm fine."  
Such an innocent lie.

"Let me bring you coffee, ok?"

The coffee made Elizabeth remember Draco. She didn't want that. She didn't want to remember him even though her outfit was him.

It was his shirt.

While Hermione poured the coffee into a mug, she suspected her shirt. "Where's your dress?" she kindly asked.

"Long story."

Hermione handed the coffee to Elizabeth, they both sat on the couch. Elizabeth felt her legs getting warmer from the heat of the fireplace.

"I'll be right next to you if you want to talk," Hermione spoke her last sentence and continued reading her book.

Elizabeth quietly thanked her and dived into her thoughts. Not wanting to talk about it. Since her childhood, Harry Potter always impressed her. But for Harry, she was just a sister. She was simply a therapist for Harry.

So she would just simply party until her pain was numb.

After her encounter with Malfoy, she didn't have room in her brain for Harry. Especially when Tom was in it too.

He read. He read poems. Poems meant feelings.  
Tom had feelings too.

While Elizabeth continued doubting her beliefs, she didn't realize how late it was getting. Her class was going to start in 10 minutes. She rushed to her bedroom and dressed accordingly.

She braided her hair.

The shirt was standing on her bed.  
She stared at the shirt and it stared back at her.

She hesitantly picked up the shirt and smelled it. She identified a few scents. There was a smell of heavy cologne, but the smell of oakwood mixed with mint was hidden behind the cologne.

She smelled it.

Then she threw the shirt on her bed.

"What the hell are you doing, Elizabeth, get yourself together!" she got mad at herself.

She walked to her first class with Ron, since they had it together.

"...She would talk about it for the rest of the night, Hermione, she kept talking about how to handle my wand. So I didn't break it again." Ron told Elizabeth about his experience.

But mentally, Elizabeth was somewhere else.

"Hey," Ron stopped her, "What's wrong?"

"Hm? Nothing- nothing." She lied.

"Don't play with me, Elizabeth, I'm not that dumb." Ron gave a nervous smile that she didn't return.

"I just didn't get enough sleep last night." She lied once again.

"I'll let it go for now, but we'll talk about it later. Alright?" Ron patted her shoulder and made her walk to potions class.

Elizabeth didn't even realize she shared this class with Malfoy.

Shyly, she sat next to Ron and her eyes were preying around the room. To note Draco's actions without making it obvious.

He seemed normal.  
Of course, he wasn't impacted by Elizabeth.

But she was.

Just like any other girl who would spend the night with Draco Malfoy.

Elizabeth put her head on the table and covered herself with her arms. She stayed in the same position until Professor Slughorn started talking.

"Good morning class," he hurried in, "Happy second week of school."

"Good morning!" A couple of students replied.

"We will start a very complex and tricky project today. I expect all of you to listen. After I'm done telling you guys about the project, I will randomly pick your partners and you will start working on it."

There were many different reactions from the students. Some were happy, some were mad about it.

Elizabeth didn't listen to anything her teacher talked about. She would just rely on her partner.

After half of the class passed, it was now time for Professor Slughorn to pick their partners.

"Ron Weasley and Pansy Parkinson!"

"Oh, bloody hell," Ron whispered to Elizabeth, "Wish me your biggest luck." He stood up from his seat to go next to Pansy as Elizabeth chuckled.

"Elizabeth Mcgonagall and Vincent Crabbe!"

Elizabeth started cursing in her head. She looked around the class to spot Crabbe next to Malfoy. Draco didn't bother looking at her, instead, he was looking at Crabbe.

The Gryffindor girl slowly rose up from her chair and sat in front of Crabbe, diagonal to Malfoy. She avoided both of their eye contacts and stared at the table.

"Who didn't get partnered up?" Professor Slughorn shouted enough for all the whispers around the class to end.

"Crabbe didn't get partnered up, sir," Draco shouted back.

Her eyes immediately met Malfoy's and vibration occurred in the girl's veins. "But-" Elizabeth tried to speak, but Professor cut her off.

"Crabbe, you can join the group sitting at the very back." He offered.

Of course, no one could resist Draco Malfoy. Everyone stayed quiet as Crabbe obeyed what he was told.

Draco scooched over to Crabbe's chair after he left.

"You may start working now!"

"Why did you do that?" Elizabeth asked Malfoy.

"So you're a Gryffindor, I was right," An obvious smirk grew on his lips.

"Why did you do that?" She clearly asked again.

"And you're also Professor Mcgonagall's kid?" He teased.

"She's my aunt," Elizabeth corrected his facts, "Now answer me. Why did you do that?"

"Elizabeth... now I know your name."

When her name poured down his lips, Elizabeth unconditionally smiled. Her legs started feeling shakey again. When she realized what she was doing, she put herself together and stayed sober.

"Whatever," she ignored her own question, "What's the project about?"

"Well, I was hoping you'd know." Draco played with the pen in his hand.

"I don't."

"Same."

"What do we do?"

"Nothing."

"We have a project, Draco, we have to do it."

Malfoy leaned back on his chair, stayed quiet for a little while, his eyes went around hers and he started speaking again, "Where is my shirt?"

"That isn't the topic!" Elizabeth started getting annoyed, "Let's just finish this project, please."

Draco stood up from his seat, walking to Professor Slughorn. Elizabeth admired him while he talked with the teacher for about 10 minutes.

She stared at him, hoping no one was staring at her. The girl didn't want to get caught. She placed her chin in her palms and mesmerized every part of him.

She didn't know why, she just wanted to.

When Draco turned around to walk back to his seat, Elizabeth quickly stood up straight and wore her serious expression.

"Were you checking me out, Gryffindor?" Draco taunted.

"What? No- no I wasn't," Elizabeth blurted.

Draco continued smirking at her, making her body shudder. She started playing with her fingers when he attempted to make eye contact with her.

"So," The girl broke the silence, "What is the project about?"

"We have to go to the library to do research on it."

"But no one else is going," Elizabeth confused herself.

"Are you seriously going to question me on the project you have no idea about?" Draco hissed and stood up from his chair again, "Come on," he mumbled, "We don't have that much time."

Elizabeth followed his lead and the two arrived at the library.

When Malfoy made sure no one was in the library, he slammed Elizabeth into an aisle of books and started kissing her.

_And she let him even though she shouldn't have..._


	3. Danger

A couple of books from the aisle fell down as Elizabeth's back was completely touching it. She could feel the books behind her, tracing her back.

She had no idea what Malfoy was up to, or if he was up to anything.

Draco's hands went up to her neck, holding it tight as he made sure his rings hurt her. Making her whimper. He also ensured that her lips would not stop kissing him.

Elizabeth's hands were on her side until the tension grew higher, when it did, she directly wrapped them around his neck and pulled him closer.

Her dirty thoughts from potions class were slowly becoming true.  
At least, most of them...

Draco surprised her when he slowly slipped his tongue inside her mouth. Sucking her. She had to tiptoe in order to reach him.

After a while, she got tired of standing on her toes and fell down from his mouth. The two stared at each other for a couple of seconds.

"What was that for?" She questioned, pressing her forehead against his. When she closed her eyes, Draco started talking.

"I saw you staring at me during class," he paused, "think of it as a little prize for you."

"I don't need anything from you!" Elizabeth snapped and kicked him away from her.

"Calm down," Draco was still quiet, keeping his temper in control, "You enjoyed it."

The Gryffindor girl grabbed the closest book to her and threw it at Draco, but he caught it just in time. It didn't even hit him.

"What are you doing?!" he thundered and let go of the book between his fingers, making it collapse on the floor. "You think you can hit me? Pathetic girl," he muttered between his teeth.

Elizabeth didn't stop, she grabbed another book and threw it at him. Instead of catching it, Malfoy moved aside and the book hit the other ones. At once, a bunch of books collapsed down from the aisle.

The girl tried to leave, but Draco kept her from doing so.

"You can only leave if I tell you to," he whispered into her ear.

She lost it.

She lost her temper and slapped him.  
It felt so good for a moment before seeing the expression on his face.

Draco held his red cheek as his hair got messier. He slowly let go of his own cheek and stared at Elizabeth.

She was scared.

She had never slapped anyone before. And that was because no one made her as enraged as Malfoy. He thought it was ok to just play with any girl he desires.

Elizabeth had to show him otherwise.

Before the Slytherin was going to explode on her, Elizabeth caught her breath and rushed out of the library.

"Get your act together, or you'll regret it!" Malfoy yelled behind her.

Elizabeth started running through the hallways. Avoiding every person around her and the one she left behind.

Until her last period, she ignored Draco. Although, she could clearly feel his eyes on her the whole day. She would periodically look back at the classroom to see whether Malfoy was still looking at her, and he always was.

They would have a short awkward stare before Elizabeth turned away to focus on her classwork.

She lost count of how many times it had happened.

And the worse part of it, the Gryffindor girl didn't know whether he did it because he was immensely mad or because he was feeling remorse.

The day went on pretty deliberate. The classes seemed to be two times longer. Elizabeth was unusually unfocused, she and Hermione would be the ones to participate every day, every class.

But today, everything she heard went in one ear and out from the other.

"World to Elizabeth," Ron whispered to her, "Snape has been eyeing you the whole class, you need to speak," he informed her.

Elizabeth shook her head slowly, unclear about what Ron had just said. The words leaving his mouth was faded when the door of the Defence against Dark Art's class opened.

Tom Riddle entered.

At that moment, she had realized that her last class was with both Malfoy and Riddle.

_Great._

_Awesome._

_How amazing._

She didn't remove her eyes from him and her sight followed him until he was seated next to a random Ravenclaw girl.

When Tom looked in her direction, she immediately looked back.

"Are you this late for your every class, Mr. Riddle," Snape tried to keep his temper in control.

"It has been just ten minutes, Professor, I usually miss more than half the class." Tom seemed rather proud.

The rest of the class wasn't much different than how it already was before Riddle came. The only difference was Elizabeth watching Tom's every move. Starting from when he would not bother opening his book to his fingers tracing down to the girl's thigh.

And one part of Elizabeth wanted to be that girl.

When class was finally over, she patiently waited for everyone to leave. Continuing to avoid the two Slytherin enemies.

"Hello?" Ron chimed in, "Is our princess ready to leave the class?" he joked around.

Elizabeth gave him a smile, not trying to disappoint his attempt in making her laugh. "You go on, Ron, I'll be right behind you," she replied.

Ron returned her smile and walked away from the class, he himself was counting minutes until the end of the class so he didn't want anything holding him back.

After she made sure everyone left, (by everyone: Riddle and Malfoy) Elizabeth also walked out. She walked to her dorm while everyone else's destination was dinner.

She wasn't hungry at all.

When she opened her door, the first thing she noticed was the black shirt.

She could smell the scent of the shirt from the door. Hesitantly, she walked towards it. Slowly placing her hand on it and rubbing it.

Every scene she enjoyed from the other night went through her mind. She started feeling his lips all around her even though Malfoy was nowhere around.

And it was all because of one shirt.

Elizabeth now knew it was time to bring the shirt back to the owner.

She changed into another pair of clothes and waited until everyone was asleep. She and Hermione were roommates, and getting past Hermione was extremely difficult.

After a long night's talk, Hermione went to bed. Elizabeth, however, acted like she was asleep. The moment she closed her eyes, she saw his face in front of her. Right then, she opened her eyes back. The Gryffindor girl thought it would be better to keep them open.

She gazed around the dormitory until she felt sure Hermione was sleeping deeply. Once Hermione seemed to be dreaming, the girl slowly rose up from her bed. She grabbed Draco's shirt and tiptoed to the door.

Her fingers wrapped around the doorknob. She looked back to see if Hermione was still sleeping, and she was. The door was ajar and Elizabeth was able to squeeze out.

The rest of the journey to the Slytherin common room was easy, or she thought.

Harry was staring into the fireplace, Elizabeth quickly hid the black shirt behind her and stared at Harry in worrisome.

"Elizabeth?" Harry speculated, slightly turning around to face her, "What are you doing here? Or- where are you going?"

"Uh-" Elizabeth fake coughed, more than once, "Um- I was- I was just..."

Potter noticed she was uncomfortable so he didn't go deeper. "Well, have fun at wherever you're leaving to."

"What are you doing down here?" She awkwardly changed the topic from her to Harry. "You should go get some sleep."

"I'm thinking," Harry replied, turning back to stare at the fireplace.

"Right. Good luck thinking," she commented and rushed out of the common room.

Harry Potter, never told her anything. She usually learned whatever the trio was planning from Hermione. Sometimes Ron. But she couldn't recall one time Harry shared something with her. Except for tips about girls.

She pushed the thoughts away and focused on Draco.

Elizabeth was walking, but she had no idea where to. She didn't know where the common room was. And no soul was around for her to ask. Due to this delay, it took her longer than it should have to get to Malfoy's dorm.

The password to get into the common room was not known to her. Making her awkwardly stand in front of it like a frozen statue.

Was she supposed to knock?

Perhaps she made a mistake and should go back?

She turned her back to the door and started walking away right when the door opened. The girl's eyes widened. She didn't know what to say or find as an excuse to be right in front of the Slytherin common room when she was in Gryffindor.

"What are you doing here?" Draco came out.

Elizabeth was half relieved that it was Malfoy who came out, but that didn't make the side of her that was nervous disappear. She started fidgeting with her fingers before coming up with the words to reply.

"I- I actually came here to-to talk with you." she blurted.

"Me?" Malfoy seethed, "You came here to talk with me after slapping me?! Are you out of your mind?"

"If you're excepting me to apologize, that will never happen. So get over yourself!" She was louder than she intended to be.

More people started coming towards them to watch the scene. Tom Riddle was one of the ones who came.

"What's happening here?" Tom questioned, observing Elizabeth from toe to hair.

"Nothing that considers you," Draco snapped and held Elizabeth by the arm to drift her inside. Before she could deny, they were already in his dorm. "Talk," he demanded.

Elizabeth gulped and stayed quiet.

"I said talk!" He repeated himself.

Her arm's started to shake while she handed the shirt back to Draco, "It was giving me nightmares." she turned away and left his dorm.

"You're wasting your time if you think he'll show interest in you," Tom held her back from fully exiting out the Slytherin common room, "You're not his type."

"I don't want him to show interest in me."

And just like that, creating a chaotic scene, Elizabeth left. It all went nothing as she planned it. In her mind, Draco was going to be understanding and mature, he would just get the shirt calmly and not have to forcefully drag her to his room.

But that was just her mind.

She surrounded herself with her arms, looking down at her shoes while walking back to her own house.

"Oh, dear-" Mcgonagall noticed her niece, "What are you doing in the hallways this late?" she asked.

"N-nothing." Elizabeth stuttered when her aunt pulled her into a comforting hug.

"I was actually planning to talk to you, it's a good thing I ran into you here."

"Talk about what?"

"Let's go to my office," she patted her back and the two relatives started walking through the empty corridors of Hogwarts to reach Professor McGonagall's office.

When they entered, Elizabeth took a seat on one of the couches that were placed in front of the desk. And her aunt sat on the chair behind the desk.

"Hogwarts," she started talking, "It's getting dangerous. And the last thing I want is for you to get hurt-"

"What does that mean?" Elizabeth cut her, with curiosity.

"Death eaters," she summed it up in one word, "The population of the death eater's are increasing with each passing day. Rumor is that some students are joining the dark side."

"Students?" Elizabeth was all distracted from the boy drama she had inside her head.

"Yes, students," a disappointed expression grew on McGonagall's face. She went on, "I need you to be careful. I don't want you to get caught up in any of this. Understand?"

_"I understand."_

"You may go now," Her aunt gave her an insincere, fake smile before Elizabeth stepped out of the office.

When she got out, she noticed a person watching her from a little far. Trying to hide from getting caught, but you could clearly see half of their body sticking out from the wall they were hiding behind.

"Who's there?" Elizabeth trembled. Slowly walking closer to the person. "I said who's there?!"

Elizabeth shrieked when she noticed Tom Riddle standing right in front of her.

"I didn't know my face was that scary," Riddle smirked.

After catching her breath, Elizabeth started talking, "Were you... Were you listening to us?" she inquired.

Riddle stayed silent.

"So you were?" She asked once again, trying to get an answer from him.

"Come with me," he demanded. "And I'll answer your question."

"I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"I didn't ask," Tom held her hand and apparated them into a manor. Elizabeth's heart skipped a few beats while she looked around to guess where she was.

"McGonagall," Tom let go of her hand and started speaking, "Is she your- mom?"

"Aunt," Elizabeth corrected him. And she couldn't help but feel grief when hearing the word _mom_ , considering the fact that she didn't have one. "Where are we?"

"Malfoy Manor."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"I need you to do something for me," Tom started getting more serious as if the question he had would destroy everything.

"What is it?" Elizabeth took two steps back while trying to calm her panic.

_"I need you to get the dark mark for me."_


	4. Dark Side

The sudden shock tensed her muscles.

Never in a lifetime would Elizabeth think once that she would be asked to get the dark mark. Yet alone, she never even saw herself talking with boys like Tom.

"No way."

"Again," Tom started walking closer to her, "I didn't ask. I want you to get the dark mark for me."

Elizabeth wasn't afraid nor frightened. She was feeling beyond what words could describe. She continued fidgeting with her fingers. Being a death eater would completely change her life.

 _"Death Eaters, the population of the death eater's are increasing with each passing day. Rumor is that some students are joining the dark side."_ She remembered her aunt telling her.

"I can't. I won't! I will not get anything or do-do anything for you!" she faltered.

"Calm down," Riddle slowly spoke, noticing her heavy breathing, "It shouldn't be torture to serve me," he proudly continued talking as if the conversation was normal to her. Or as if Elizabeth had the conversation every day.

"Serve you?" She was frozen in her place, "So you are one of the students who joined the dark side?"

"Ah ah ah," Tom approached even closer to her, leaning towards her ear, "I'm the one who created the dark side," he whispered, making sure he clarified each word that left his lips.

Terror sucked the breath away from Elizabeth's mouth. Her pulse started beating in her ears instead of any other noise.

"I can't become a death eater."

"You will be a perfect one," Tom held both of her shoulders, staring right inside her terrified soul, "Come by tomorrow night, or else-"

"Or else what?!" She removed herself from Riddle's arms and backed away, she hit her back to the wall. Then, slowly, she found herself sliding down until her bottom was seated on the ground.

She was scared.

"Or else," Tom followed her steps, kneeling down to be at the same level of her eyes, "Or else you will not see your precious aunt breathing anymore."

It felt like her heart stopped. After her parents being dead, Mcgonagall was the only real family she had. And she wasn't ready to lose that, not just yet.

Slowly all her organs shut down, starting from her brain. She was completely numb. And all she could think about was getting the dark mark, or else Riddle would be a threat to everyone she loved.

The cruel boy placed his hand on her knee, highering it until it reached her cheeks that were full of dried tears. He wiped away the tear that had just dropped down.  
But he was smiling as he did so.

"It's ok," he unsympathetically comforted, "It won't be too bad, it'll just hurt a little when you're getting it," he continued rubbing his thumb up and down on her cheekbones while his other fingers stayed still on her jawline, "Everything will be fine after that."

Elizabeth tried to breathe in and out but air wouldn't enter her lungs. Her blinking started getting faster. She didn't dare to look into Tom's eyes.

 _"I need you to be careful. I don't want you to get caught up in any of this. Understand?"_ Was her aunt's warning before Elizabeth didn't only get caught up with it, but was becoming the problem itself.

She remembered her first encounter with Tom. They both read a poem together, she recalled the moment realizing that Tom had feelings as well. Yet looking at his expression, Elizabeth realized how wrong she had been.

There was no emotion she could spot.

The Gryffindor girl believed her optimistic sentences in her head while tears that formed behind her eye were feeling the complete opposite.

Tom lowered her hand from her cheeks to her right breast. He didn't even care enough to wipe away the rest of the tears that were coming down. They slowly fell onto his fingers, making them wet.

Once Elizabeth felt his hand on her breast, she slapped it and stood up. She wiped her tears off herself.

"I'll come tomorrow night," she took a long breath, trying not to break down. "Just don't hurt anybody."

Tom also stood up on his feet, "If anyone learns a word about what happened here, you'll be dead yourself," he devilishly warned her. Still having his evil smirk forming even wider on his lips.

And just like that, Elizabeth escaped the manor, apparating back to Hogwarts and hoping it had been a dream.

She and her imagination were wrong.

It was very real.

As anyone else would be, she didn't have the energy to attend her classes. Instead, she stood in the middle of her bed. Her chest shaking from fear. She let her body fall down onto her bed, smoothly.

Both of her hands covered her face as tears strolled down. She had no choice. Tomorrow, on September 19, she had to get her dark mark.

The dark mark that would connect her to Tom Riddle.

Many questions started flowing through her head from the thought.

Did anyone else know about it? Was Tom forming an army sort of thing for a particular reason? Why did he choose Elizabeth in the first place?

She was distracted when she heard a great deal of laughter outside. She quickly tried her best to transfer to her normal self.

But she had forgotten what her normal self was like.

The door opened, it was Ron. He knocked on it even though half of his body was already in the dorm. "Can I come in?" he gently asked, his smile was wide enough to reach his ears.

Weakly, the girl shook her up and down. Hinting for Ron to come in.

"Oh man, Elizabeth, you will love this idea!" He closed the door and locked it, making sure no one else could come in. "I and Ginny planned it together in dinner." He sat beside Elizabeth on the bed, "Speaking of dinner, why didn't you come?"

"Not hungry."

She tried her best not to speak. Because when she did, it felt like her veins started beating faster and her brain directly told her body to start crying.

Ron was too ecstatic to notice her being wretched.

"Oh-" he quickly changed the topic, "Anyway, tomorrow is Hermione's birthday! And- and I and Ginny were thinking to do-do something for her. We haven't done something in like-like 6 years? We want to make this huge! Like huge! We decided to make it past curfew, meeting up at our common room and inviting everyone-"

He was speaking too fast for Elizabeth and her dead brain cells to follow up.

"Ron," she stopped him, "Slower and more clear, please."

"Right," He blushed, and went on, "Overall, tomorrow is Hermione's birthday. And we will have a party in our common room to celebrate it. With everyone. Every house."

Elizabeth nervously smiled.

Not knowing how to react when all her mind was in the direction of how she had to meet Tom tomorrow.

The two stayed silent for a couple of minutes.

"I know," Ron broke the silence, "I didn't want Slytherins to come too, they'll probably ruin it if you ask me. But Ginny said..." he started mocking her, _"If we don't invite the Slytherins and they find out about the party, they might snitch on the teachers."_ he laughed, "As if there will be a proper party when they are here."

Elizabeth smiled again, trying to look innocent.

"Is everything alright?" Ron finally noticed her different behavior.

"Yea- yea- everything is- everything is fine."

That was probably the biggest lie she had ever told someone.

"Great," Elizabeth wasn't the only one with different behavior in the room, Ron was too. He would usually bug Elizabeth until she opened up to him or try anyway to see her smile. But all Weasley had in mind was the surprise party he was planning for Hermione.

"I'll see you tomorrow night," he left a kind kiss on her forehead and rushed out of the room.

When the door closed, Elizabeth fell on her bed again. Finally letting out all the tears that she was holding in.

After what felt like forever, Hermione came in. "Hey!" she jumped up on her bed excitedly, "You won't believe what just happened today!" her voice was full of awe.

Elizabeth painfully smiled, realizing how none of her friends noticed how depressed she was because they were all too happy.

"I'm listening," she stood up and placed her hands on Hermione's. Trying to be happy with her.

"Ron asked me to spend time with him after dinner tomorrow!" She held Elizabeth's hands tighter, "I, myself, think it's because of my birthday. What do you think?" She couldn't stay in one place, her body kept moving due to her enthusiasm.

"I think-" Elizabeth breathed deeply, "I think that's great."

Hermione smiled at her.

"You two will have so much fun."

"Thank you!" Hermione hugged her so tight she felt like she was being choked. "Why didn't you join any classes today? You missed out on a lot. I'll help you with the homework. But, just a reminder, the project in potions is due tomorrow."

That's when she remembered him.

Draco.

His name didn't cross her brain the whole day until Hermione reminded her about their project. Her bones shuddered when she remembered him.

"I'll deal with it, Hermione, I'm going to sleep."

"Good night! I'll sleep after I'm done with this practice spell."

Hermione got comfortable at her desk and studied the whole night while Elizabeth was uncomfortable in her own bed and stayed up the whole night.

The next morning felt like the continuous of the previous day for Elizabeth. She gradually stood up from her bed and noticed Hermione sleeping on her chair.

She woke her up and changed into her uniforms.

Elizabeth couldn't avoid school forever, sooner or later the teachers would get worried about her and question her.

After getting ready, she and Hermione went down the stairs that reached their common room. Ron had told everyone to act as if they had all forgotten Hermione's birthday.

Granger wasn't too happy.

Elizabeth's first two classes went just fine, until her third one for the day. Potions class. When she went in, she instantly remarked Malfoy sitting on his chair and eyeing her.

The Gryffindor girl went by her partner and sat in front of him.

"Hi."

"Why weren't you here yesterday-" Right when Malfoy was about to question her, he noticed the pain hidden behind her eyes. The eyebags that formed under her eyes. Elizabeth would usually come to school with braids but, today, her hair was poorly made into a bun.

Not to mention, she looked dead.

"Are you- What's wrong- Did-did something happen?" Draco wasn't sure what to say in this situation. He never had someone like Elizabeth sitting in front of him, completely destroyed and miserable. Furthermore, he never had to ask people what was wrong.

Because he didn't care.

"I'm ok."

"Right," Malfoy's eyes were fixed on her face. But the girl didn't look at him. "If it makes you feel any better, I learned what the project was about when you were absent yesterday."

"Good."

And for the rest of the class, Draco did the project. Not letting Elizabeth do anything. He didn't even let her touch the pencil.

_"You should get some rest, I'll do the project."_

Elizabeth skipped lunch, which was Tom's fault, and her last class as well, which is Tom's fault.

When she came back to their common room, everyone was preparing for Hermione's party while Ron was distracting Hermione elsewhere.

Elizabeth was delighted to see her friends not upset.

She tried to sneak past them and went to her dorm, she changed into her dress. Without another option, she used a portkey to go to the manor.

Her head felt dizzy and her feet were unbalanced when she reached the manor. Tom was there to greet her.

"Well well well, you have actually come," he said, pleased. "I didn't expect you to."

"You didn't give me any other choice," Elizabeth specified.

"Is that so?" Riddle tilted his head the same way he did when they read the poem together. Elizabeth parted her lips as Tom walked closer to her, admiring her dress. "What's the occasion?" he questioned her as if her existence in the manor was for an interview.

"Friend's birthday party." she dully answered him.

"And, who is this friend of yours?"

"That doesn't consider you."

"Is it a friend you..." He tried to find the words, "...care about?"

"Very much."

_"Then why don't we go to this party together?"_


	5. Dance With Me

Tom Riddle couldn't hold back any longer, he started kissing her lips. Elizabeth flinched from his touch, it felt even colder than Draco's. Tom pulled her closer to him despite her attempts to pull away.

Sooner or later, she gave in.

She had to wrap her legs around his torso to keep her balance. Otherwise, she had to worry about her balance while Tom took advantage of her.

He was rough.

She could feel his tongue extending into her mouth. Tom slammed Elizabeth's back against the nearest wall as she advanced her hands to touch his soft hair.

Elizabeth threw her head back to breathe, he was too fast. Tom let her take a break, but he didn't want a break himself. He kissed her down from her jaw to her neck, working his arm through her clothes.

He backed away, reach the bottom of her dress, and pulled it up. Taking it off of her. The girl extended her arms to the air to make it easier for him to take it off.

Without letting Elizabeth have the pleasure, Tom took off his own shirt. She placed her fingertips on his chest and drew a line down to his belt.

Elizabeth began to wonder if they were alone in the manor.

Tom started leaving trails of his mouth all over her body. Elizabeth did nothing but just feel him all around her. He finally stopped and stared at her. 

Elizabeth smirked.

Bit her lower lip.

And started to kiss down his chest. This time, it was Tom's turn to enjoy her. He simply held onto her neck, controlling the places her lips kissed.

Elizabeth wondered why she was doing such a thing.  
She couldn't answer her own question.

Tom slipped his hand behind her, he flipped her over and made her lay down on the cold floor. Standing on top of her.

The floor was solid and intense.

Elizabeth excepted Tom to continue, his eyes were craving for her. Riddle also wanted to keep going. He knew, however, that the deeper he connected with Elizabeth, the harder it would be to cut her out of his life.

Tom rotated and laid down next to Elizabeth on the floor. They both stared at the ceiling. Waiting to catch their breath.

Elizabeth chuckled.

Tom chuckled with her.

"Did I amuse you?" he wondered.

"No," she laughed even more. Her emotional system was completely destroyed. Elizabeth laughed when she was desperate. She continued, "It's just funny how I came here to get the dark mark, and well, you know-"

"You ended up making out with me," Tom finished her sentence for her.

"I guess so," she blushed, "Should we go to the party now?"

"We shall," Tom smiled and stood up, he then helped Elizabeth stand up. They both wore their clothes and vanished back to Hogwarts.

Perhaps Tom did have good in him after all. Could Elizabeth make the good that was buried within him come out?  
Or maybe she's wrong and he actually does not possess any good qualities.

Questions swirled through her head. At the same time, Tom stood right behind her and they started walking to the Gryffindor common room, for Hermione's party.

"Did you find the Gryffindor Common Room to be the right place to party?" he asked, in complete confusion.

"Yes," Elizabeth said, irritated.

Soon, they reached the door. Elizabeth mumbled the password and the door opened. She and Tom stepped one foot into the room one at a time, and the gazes of the room were on them both.

Tom smirked. Elizabeth was startled. She hadn't contemplated the reactions she'd get when people saw her and Tom together.

She gulped. And started fidgeting with her fingers. Tom patted her back and pushed her more into the room.

The Gryffindor common room was unrecognizable. There were party decorations all around. Many chairs and desks created a circle in the middle, for people to dance in. Tom sat in one of the chairs and observed everyone.

Elizabeth noticed the anger in Ron's eyes. She hesitantly went next to them. "Happy Birthday, Hermione."

"Thank you," she hugged her. Ignoring the situation with Tom so as to keep the mood upbeat.

"Why did you come with _him_?" Ron asked, in disgust.

"Uh- I-I we, we crossed paths during the- the-" she took a long breath, "We crossed paths while I was coming-coming here. And we just came t-together." she stuttered.

"Right," Ron didn't seem satisfied with her answer at all, but he also didn't want to overthrow Hermione's party. He decided to store it away for now.

She scanned around the room; there were people from every house dancing in the middle. And there he was. Draco Malfoy. He was leaning against the wall with one of his legs folded against it. He licked his lip when he caught her eyes.

Noticing the delicate tension between Elizabeth and Ron, Hermione asked Elizabeth to dance with her.

"Oh, Hermione, I'm not a good dancer," Elizabeth refused.

"Come on, for me," Hermione begged her.

"Fine, for the birthday girl."

Elizabeth found her feet getting dragged in the middle by Hermione. They both started dancing together.

"Here you go," a random girl was passing around everyone offering drinks, came to Elizabeth. She grabbed the drink and finished it in one sip. Missing the taste.

She closed her eyes and started dancing. Imagining herself in a concert. The music stopped and everyone burst into laughter. There were many chatting all around. Elizabeth giggled and caught Malfoy's eye again.

She decided to go next to him.

"Having so much aren't we?" she questioned, Draco wasn't looking at her. His eyes were still fixed at everyone in the middle.

"So much fun," he sarcastically mocked her.

"Rude," Elizabeth gently kicked his shoulder. The music started again, this time though, it was slow music. Couples rushed forward while the rest of the crowd cheered on them.

"Do you- " she stopped, and continued, "Dance with me?" Elizabeth offered a dance to Draco, finishing the second drink in her hand.

"No."

"Fine, fine, I'll just go and find someone else to dance with," Right when she was going to find someone else, she felt Draco's fingers wrapping her wrist tight and turning her back to him.

Elizabeth shook. Malfoy smiled nervously and pulled her in the middle. He gently slipped her hand behind her waist, couple inches above her hips. He pulled her closer while Elizabeth remained in utter dismay.

Elizabeth encircled his neck with her left hand. Her right one was standing on her side. Malfoy reached for it and they interlocked their fingers together, their eyes locked in each other.

Malfoy extended both of their arms to their right side. Everyone in the room was in the same position as they were.

Draco started moving his feet. Elizabeth went along with him. They both moved two steps forward, one step backward. Draco then spun her.

Elizabeth felt like a princess dancing with her enemy.

Draco spun her twice and dipped her, her hair was slightly touching the floor. But Malfoy managed to hold her. Elizabeth held onto his back, while the other hand was still on his shoulder.

Draco's eyes were so different in moments like these. His eyes were softer than what Elizabeth could ever imagine, his touch wasn't cold. If it was anyone else, Elizabeth would have kicked them away.

But Draco was different.

She had barely spent time with him but, somehow, the universe was pulling the two back together like magnets.

Draco's lips leaned closer to her ear, and Elizabeth heard the words she thought she would never hear from him.

"You and me, we're good."

Elizabeth slowly nodded while Draco brought them back to their original position. She took in every moment, writing in her memory, never wanting to forget it.

She didn't want to forget this side of Draco.

The music suddenly changed. It became more fast and rhythmic. Both Elizabeth and Draco jumped and were once again their usual selves. They both coughed and looked in opposite directions.

"It was uh- it was fun...dancing...with...you," she slowly spoke, not believing her own words. Scratching her head, she walked away from the dance floor.

"Where are you going now?" Draco stared at her, "The fun is just starting".

Elizabeth smiled at him.

Maybe they could work, maybe they could actually be together.

She shook her head up and down and continued dancing with him. Draco brought drinks for them, they both consumed at least three drinks in ten minutes. 

Even when everyone was exhausted, Draco and Elizabeth kept going and going.

The Slytherin boy spun her while tickling her. Elizabeth's laughter was heard from everyone.

Even Tom.

_When Tom noticed the two having a blast together, he went upstairs to a dorm._

The music stopped, the person who controlled the music was tired from only entertaining Malfoy and his partner.

The two were past being drunk.

They probably forgot their own names in a position like this.

Laughing, they got to a corner. Elizabeth leaned against a wall and found Draco trapping her there.

She held him by his collar and pulled him for a kiss.

But this time, both of them wanted to take things further.

Not breaking the kiss, the two started walking towards the stairs. Their mouth glued to each other, Elizabeth wrapped her legs around Draco. Malfoy carried them up the stairs.

When they reached the hallway that led to her dorm, they stopped.

Elizabeth put her feet down and pushed Draco to the wall. The boy slipped her hand under her clothes, reaching her breasts.

Elizabeth threw her head back and enjoyed his fingers traveling around her body.

The two lovers were unstoppable.

They wanted more of each other.

"Which room is yours?" Draco asked, panting, trying to catch his breath.

"This one," she pointed towards a door and they both hurried to it.

Draco kicked the door open with his feet and realized they weren't the only ones in the dorm.

"Surprise," Tom Riddle sneered, "I was beginning to think you two wouldn't show up." a cruel smirk grew on his face.

Draco and Elizabeth fully entered the room, closing the door behind them. "What are you doing here?" Draco asked him.

"Is that the way to treat your..." he searched his vocabulary to find the right word, "boss?"

"Draco, what is he talking about?" Elizabeth jumped into their conversation.

"Our little innocent friend, Draco," Tom patted his shoulder in the most unsympathetic way Elizabeth ever saw, "I think he has something he needs to tell you."

"Don't," Draco started sweating, his tone of voice became sharp and Elizabeth couldn't see the Draco that she was just having fun with.

It was like he flipped the switch.

"W-what are you talking about?"

_"Draco Malfoy is a death eater, just like how you will become one...now!"_


	6. Psychopath

Suddenly, Elizabeth's mind felt like a cracked open beehive. Many, many countless thoughts flying outside of her reach. But instead of the buzzing from the bees, she saw the blood from Tom Riddle.

Draco continued punching him while Elizabeth stood in shock.

Malfoy wasn't exactly sure whether he was punching Riddle because he exposed him, or because he was going to punish Elizabeth the same way he punished Draco.

"Stop!" Elizabeth shrieked at once, "Stop punching him!"

Draco gazed at her in shock, he thought Elizabeth would want him to hit him even more.

"Is he right?" Elizabeth's voice was as soft as a pillow but as cold as the ice, "Are you actually a death eater?"

Draco got off of Tom. He started walking closer to Elizabeth.

Meanwhile, Tom was laying on the floor. Blood running down his nose. He slowly rose up and kneeled next to the bed, watching Draco and Elizabeth.

When Malfoy stepped closer to her, Elizabeth backed away. Making a stop sign with her hand.

"Show me your arm," she demanded.

"Elizabeth, no..."

"Show me your arm!"

She grew furious. Furthermore, she felt like a fool. Just a minute before, she truly believed she and Malfoy would find a way to work things out.

Draco hid his left arm behind him.

Elizabeth was provoked. She gripped his arm. Draco tried slipping away without hurting Elizabeth, but she wasn't going to let that happen easily.

She had to see it with her own eyes to believe it.

"Elizabeth, stop," he first sounded calm, trying to keep everything under control. But the Gryffindor girl wasn't letting him get away that easy, "Stop!" he shouted, louder.

"I will when you let me see your arm!" she defended herself.

Elizabeth finally got ahold of his arm. She started to roll up his sleeve, seeing the detailed mark lying on it.

She instantly dropped his arm.

Still not wanting to believe it.

"Please let me explain," Draco desperately rolled down his sleeve and tried to touch Elizabeth again.

"Explain how you joined his side?! Are you insane?!"

"You are seriously going to throw away what we had because of this _stupid_ mark?" he snapped, at once, speaking fast, "And you are going to get it yourself too!"

"You really think that's the problem? That I can't accept you the way you are?" Elizabeth quietly spoke, she then also higher her voice, "If that was the problem, trust me Draco, I wouldn't even be here with you right now!"

"You are so full of yourself! You-you are the one putting me in this situation! I had to get this mark because of you!"

"Me? What did I ever do? All I did was try and become-become friends with you!"

"Friends? Friends?" he emphasized the word more than once, "Not to mention, you were the one that was all over me just ten minutes ago!"

"So were you!"

"Yeah well, I'm admitting it! You are not!"

With each sentence, their voices became louder and louder. The fight went on and on. There was no clear understanding of what they were arguing about.

And through it all, Tom was watching in amusement.

"You don't get it!" Draco cut her sentence, "I got this mark _for you_. For you!"

"And how is that?"

"No, the question is," Draco walked closer to her, the more Elizabeth went back, the closer she got to being trapped in between the wall and him. Again. "How did he convince you to get the mark?"

That was when Elizabeth felt the wall behind her. She stared into Malfoy's eyes, they lacked sanity.

Then it clicked to her, "Did he threaten you... with me?" she asked, lowering her voice. Her throat was starting to burn due to all the screaming.

"Yes, I did," Tom finally joined the conversation. Draco's eyes were still fixed in Elizabeth's. But she had switched her attention over to what Tom had to say. "But I threatened Elizabeth with her aunt since it's actually someone she cares about."

Anger curled hot and unstoppable in Draco's gut, like a blazing inferno that wanted to burn him from the inside out. Noticing this, Elizabeth grew scared of the things that could happen.

Malfoy was insecure. He barely expressed that side of him, but he was. He questioned when someone showed affection to him. And hearing these sentences from someone like Tom wasn't much help for any of them.

"Look at us, _the three of us_ , the future death eaters." Tom chuckled.

"You are a psychopath," Elizabeth yelled at him.

"I call it... creativity," Tom proudly defended himself.

"You won't make her get the dark mark," Draco finally stopped looking at Elizabeth and turned around, facing Tom's face.

"And what makes you think that has any power over me?"

Draco balled his fingers into a fist and drove them through the wall, then slammed the door behind him.

When the door closed, Elizabeth was startled by how hard he closed it.

She fell down to her knees and silently started crying. Tom watched her until she got up and sat on her bed.

"Why are you still here?" she asked him.

"Why did you care so much about Draco being a death eater?" he casually sat next to her.

"Well," Elizabeth wiped away her tears, "I liked him. I thought...him and me... that maybe, just maybe, we would work it out."

There was a pause that felt like forever but only was a couple of minutes.

"But, today, I saw the side of him that I never saw before. He was so angry. I don't even know what came over us," Elizabeth unmuted the silence.

"Maybe it was those drinks you both had," Tom dully said.

"Maybe," Elizabeth breathed in and out, Tom angled his face so that he could see Elizabeth's eyes.

"Do you think you would ever forgive him?" he eagerly asked.

"Well, there is nothing to forgive, really, we just can't be together. Not like this," Elizabeth still didn't notice that Tom was looking at her.

"So you have the capacity to forgive... psychopaths?" Tom weakly smiled.

That's when Elizabeth, also, turned her head to see his facial expression. She couldn't read into it, there were many things written around his face. She couldn't tell what his real face was.

"What are you trying to do?" she asked him, swimming around his eyes, trying to see the part of him that feels beneath it. But it was so hard. "You are the one who put us in this situation."

If only she were aware as to how much Tom admired her. But Tom was also aware of the tension building up between Draco and Elizabeth. He didn't want to ruin it, because it would make Elizabeth sad.

He didn't give up on her because of this, he would simply find ways to get her on his side. In a clever way.

And this was the only way he could think of.

The only way he could spend time with her was with the dark mark.

"Only doing what I believe is right," Tom whispered. "What makes you think he deserves you?"

"You really expect me to talk to you about this?"

"Well, why not?"

"All you care about is the mark! You could care less about me!"

This was when Tom lost it. Hearing the opposite from what he felt broke him into pieces. He didn't know which piece of him to hold onto.

His jaw clenched.

His eyes grew wider.

He grabbed her arm and vanished them to the manor.

"Why did you do that?" she questioned him, being more puzzled than ever, "What was the reason?!"

"Your arm," he demanded.

"What?"

The feeling of going down, fast, on a rollercoaster, that has been stuck in the same position for nearly and an hour was what she felt. Her stomach switched places with her heart.

"Your... arm..." Tom spoke more clearly, staring right into her soul, still dominating her.

Elizabeth stayed still.

She didn't want to give her arm to Tom in this circumstance. He was just freshly enraged by Malfoy, who knew what he would do.

Ultimately, he might regret it when he comes to his senses.

Tom wasn't patient. He violently grabbed her arm. A gasp escaped Elizabeth's lips. But she did not resist.

The more she resisted, the more Tom would hurt her.

Mentally and Physically.

Her arm was already bare because her dress didn't have long sleeves. Tom took out his wand from his pocket, his eyes fixed on Elizabeth.

But the scared girl looked everywhere else other than his eyes.

His eyes said so much more than the words he spoke. As much as he was afraid to admit it, you could see him being anxious.

He then nonchalantly pointed the tip of his wand right on Elizabeth's left arm.

"Tom..." Elizabeth begged, her whole body shaking, "Please...please don't-don't do this." She couldn't bring herself together to look into his eyes. Though she could clearly feel his stare on her.

"I never needed anybody in my life, Elizabeth," he accused, "So why did you come in? Why did you come into my life?!"

"Tom," tears ran down her cheeks, "Let's-let's talk this out. Don't do it, please. Be good..."

"That's the problem!" he snapped, throwing Elizabeth on the floor. He gripped his wand tight around his fingers. And walked back and forth around the room, going mad, "There is no good in me! Don't you get it? I am not-I am not good!"

He then stopped walking, turned to face Elizabeth. "I have to make myself believe it. I have to make myself believe that I don't feel."

He approached her. Kneeled next to her on the floor. Grabbed her arm again, more gently this time.

"I have to prove it," he continually said. "I need to. I need to!" he was trying to make himself believe his own words.

Elizabeth didn't have any words left in her brain to speak. She was trying to process everything. Witnessing Tom holding himself back not to pour down the tears he was holding. Yet, not backing away from his decisions.

_"I am so sorry, Elizabeth."_

He pressed the tip of his wand on her skin. Making her scream. Elizabeth started to swear out of control, trying to be loud enough to make someone hear her.

It hurt.

It physically hurt more.

The dark mark was gradually forming on her skin. Much slower than a turtle. Elizabeth froze in her place. Tom didn't let her move.

He was holding her in his chest, surrounding his arm around her.

Elizabeth couldn't feel his arm, only the wand.

The dark mark was far too intricate and complex for it to end quickly, it has been at least 30 minutes yet she was still screaming in pain.

Totally unresponsive, both from the inside and from the outside.

 _"I hope you can forgive me someday,"_ A little tear rolled down Tom's right eye and reached her hair.

Elizabeth fainted.

The discomfort was too much for her systems to handle.

After it was done, her whole arm was red. Tom whispered a spell that would ease her pain. He gently held her in his arms and vanished back to Hogwarts.

It was almost the morning when Elizabeth reached her dorm. Riddle placed her on her bed, covered her with a blanket, quietly.

Hermione wasn't in her bed, Tom guessed it was because of her having a better time in the Weasley's bedroom.

Tom knelt down next to Elizabeth, grabbed the arm that didn't have the mark, and started murmuring to her unconscious self.

"The girl _I_ love is midnight, like the blue of the sea cradled by the moonlight. The girl _I_ love is verdant, the very green of the hill kissed by the summer delight," he started reciting the poem they both read together. The very first time he felt something. That he was capable of it.

He took a pause.

Then continued.

"The girl _I_ love is coral, as pink as the roses that grow in her mother's garden. The girl _I_ love crimson, red like the autumn leaves that lay abandoned."

Tom closed his eyes, thought back to when Elizabeth spoke the poem. Back to when her voice was much more felicitous.

_"The boy she loves I can never be. Because she is allergic to violets. And violets are too much like me."_


	7. Obliviate

Elizabeth opened her eyes.

But she didn't want to.

Flashbacks from last night went through her mind. It was somehow more painful than living it. In less than a second, she rose up from her position and looked at her arm.

The mark was freshly and calmly standing on her arm.

She began panting, not quite sure what she was supposed to do next.

But, all she knew, at the moment, was to cover her arm. She grabbed her sweater and made sure the mark was hidden before Hermione awoke.

When she turned around to see if Hermione was sleeping, Elizabeth couldn't spot her on the bed.

Then the door opened.

The Gryffindor girl, now with the dark mark, flinched at the thought of it being Tom.

She felt her muscles getting tenser and her chest rising up and down, heavily.

To her luck, it was Hermione.

Her hair was a mess. Her clothes weren't properly put on. Her eyes shined and grew wider when she saw Elizabeth in front of her as if she was scared to get caught.

Elizabeth drew a sharp breath.

"Oh- hey," Hermione awkwardly waved, "Before you ask why I wasn't here last night-" she coughed, tried to fix her hair, "Well- uh- after... you know... my birthday party, me and Ron wanted to-to spend the night together."

Elizabeth unconditionally smiled.

"As friends!" Hermione quickly added a lie to her thoughts.

"Right," Her friend smirked.

"Anyway, I should uh- get ready for school!" Just like that, Hermione hurried off for the shower.

When Hermione and her giggles left, it all came back to Elizabeth.

Her screams, the way Tom threw her on the floor, the way he yelled. It came back in front of her eyes, as fast as a train. She lived the same night over and over again.

Her breathing became unsteady.

Her heart couldn't believe that she was a death eater, but her eyes said otherwise.

She refused to attend her classes, but Hermione knowing she missed out on a lot, didn't let her. She packed her books for her, continually informed her of everything Elizabeth didn't get to learn.

But, no matter how much Elizabeth tried, she couldn't understand nor hear what Hermione was blabbering about.

Her ears were full of her own screams and her eyes only saw her mark.

Whether she liked it or not, she joined her classes. When she was walking to potions, only one thing came to her mind.

Draco.

Maybe he would make her laugh, somehow. She did not know why, Draco out of all people, would make her laugh after what happened to her.

But one part of her just believed it.

She walked into potions... and she suddenly became dissatisfied.

Malfoy didn't come to school that day.

Her day was just going worse and worse.

The day went on and on, the classes went by slow, but when Elizabeth looked back to her day, she realized how fast it had all happened.

Defense against Dark Arts was the only class that Tom put effort into listening to. To this day, the Gryffindor girl didn't know why. But now, it made sense. He cared about dark magic.

Elizabeth avoided Tom Riddle the whole class.

When the class ended, she waited until everyone left again. When there were no more footsteps heard, she turned around.

Then her veins vibrated.

She heard her screams again.

She felt pain right on her left arm.

Then she saw his face. His eyes.

Tom Riddle.

Looking into his brown and very much mysterious eyes, she heard Tom yelling at her. But in reality, he was calmly standing in front of her.

"How is the pain?" he inquired, looking concerned. Elizabeth looked around the class, it was only him and her. Snape had already left too. When she was silent for a long time, Tom continued, "Well, it usually hurts after the mark is formed, so I was wondering if the same was happening to you?"

She felt hesitant to speak with him, not knowing whether she was ready for it.

Elizabeth was traumatized.

"Are you... not going to answer?" Tom tried to walk closer to her, but when he noticed how quickly she backed away and panted, he stopped.

"It's-it's fine," she finally put the letters together and formed the words she thought was right to say.

They both stood like sculptures on opposite sides of the room.

 _'Please leave, please leave, please leave, go away, go away'_ Elizabeth repeatedly begged inside her head.

"I guess I'll just leave then."

_The poor, ignorant, girl forgot how Tom Riddle was able to read her memories with the dark mark laying on her hand. And sometimes, he could possibly read her mind._

And he walked away, making Elizabeth breathe in and out a couple of times to catch her breath.

Elizabeth had skipped enough dinners to actually feel hungry. But she fell behind on everyone while having a marvelous time with Tom Riddle.

She heard a voice calling for help as she walked the breezy halls by herself.

When Elizabeth turned around from the corner, she saw Myrtle flying around. Shrieking. When Myrtle noticed the Gryffindor girl, she rushed next to her.

"You need to help me! You need to help me! Not me- him! You need to help him!" She urged Elizabeth.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"There is a boy crying, having a panic attack- I think. In my bathroom. I can't stop him!" She gave more information to Elizabeth.

She suddenly saw herself in the words Myrtle told her.

"Alright. Alright. I'll help them, bring me to him, will you?" she gently asked.

"Of course, I wouldn't want him to cry. He has told me all about you. All about his problems-"

"Hold on," Elizabeth cut her off, "Me?" She got disoriented. Who would talk about her to a...ghost. And for what?

"I shouldn't have said that now, should I?" Myrtle chuckled, rather feeling proud, "Right this way."

The whole time they walked, Elizabeth was stuck in that one sentence that accidentally slipped out of Myrtle's mouth.

_He has told me all about you._

When Elizabeth entered the bathroom, Myrtle flew away. Letting whoever was in the bathroom alone with the Gryffindor girl.

She could hear someone crying. And she could relate it to her own emotions. She stepped slowly into the bathroom, looked right in front of her, and saw him.

Before Elizabeth got the chance to speak, she saw Draco throwing a hard punch at the mirror in front of him.

It shattered.

Just like her heart.

His knuckles were completely red. The color of his own blood.

"Draco!" she screamed, still standing still in her position.

The two haven't talked since their fight.

He instantly turned around when he recognized the voice, "What are you doing here?" he questioned her. It was really Draco.

Crying.

Alone.

At that second, Elizabeth forgot about her own problems. She tried to see everything from Draco's perspective. Putting herself in his clothes.

First, Draco finds a girl that he finds suitable for himself. Both of them, totally going for the opposite directions in life, find a way to stay together. Having some happiness to cling to.

Then he comes, Tom Riddle, notices them.

He lays eyes on Elizabeth.

Comes up with a plan instantly to wreck it.

Making Draco a death eater first, then making Elizabeth one with him. The Gryffindor girl wasn't the only one who witnessed the pain, Draco also did. He had probably also screamed out his lungs.

There was a scream for lungs and the mouth, but right now, both of their eyes and souls screamed. For help.

"Are you still mad at me?" Draco breathed heavily, trying to win her back, "I didn't mean to react that way when we fought. I don't want to lose you. It's just- this is difficult for me."

Elizabeth stayed silent.

"I get if you don't," Malfoy continued, "I just feel so alone. At least act as you love me right now."

She ran into his arms. From the far side of the bathroom to near the sink, where he stood. Without a doubt, Draco caught her.

They hugged each other.

Not kissing, not making-out.

Hugging.

"I don't have to act as if I love you," she whispered into his ear, "I don't know how, or why, I want you and only you."

He didn't reply, he held onto her. As if the moment will be over and only stay as a memory to look back to. He didn't want that.

When Draco let go of the hug, she stared at him. "Did he make you get it?" he said, making his eyes go down to stare at her covered arm.

Elizabeth, doubting, mouthed yes.

Draco's mouth dried up. Then he, himself, remembered when he got the mark himself. "Hurts a bit, right?" he tried to stay optimistic.

"A _bit_ ," she teased.

"It's nice to have someone to talk about it," Draco tilted his head to his side, tucking a strand of hair behind Elizabeth's ear.

"It is." she agreed.

"I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?" she asked him, her eyebrows making a funny shape.

"All of it," he grabbed her hands, "You wouldn't be in this position if I didn't bring you to my bedroom, on that night of the party."

"If we are going to play that game," she held back his hand tighter, "Then, technically, I'm the one who bumped into you."

They both laughed.

Even in their darkest times, they managed to make each other laugh.

"That shirt was one of my favorites," Draco laughed more, recalling back to when they first met.

"Right," she sarcastically went on, "You had like at least 5 more similar shirts to that one."

Once they were done taking a trip down memory lane, Elizabeth hugged him again. "I never thought you would be the kind to...hug."

"There is so much for you to figure out about me," he patted her back as he spoke.

"Well, I'm excited," she took a long breath, _"Do you think we can actually work?"_

_"Worth a try."_

***flashback***

_It was her 5th year, she was sitting in the empty Great Hall alone. She liked to have all the empty seats to herself. It felt delightful, also alone._

_She sat in the same seat every night. Reading her book, she noticed a figure appearing in front of the door._

_"Who's there?" Elizabeth trembled from her seat. Slowly walking closer to the person. "I said who's there?!"_

_Her lips left high-pitched shrieks when she noticed Tom Riddle standing right in front of her._

_"I didn't know my face was that scary," Riddle smirked._

_After catching her breath, Elizabeth started talking, "What are you doing here?" she inquired._

_Riddle stayed silent._

_"Do you mind if I show you something_ _?"_ _he kindly asked her._

_"Yeah?" Elizabeth was confused, she never had Tom talk with her. Not since the first day he showed up in Hogwarts. When Tom first came, he was so childlike._

_Elizabeth and he became amazing friends in less than a day._

_But when he got sorted into Slytherin, Elizabeth put an end to their friendship._

_Since that day, Tom Riddle observed her. Secretly protecting her in any circumstances. And she had no clue._

_Elizabeth followed Tom around the castle until they reached a classroom. He opened the door for her to enter. Once she was inside, Tom closed the door and opened the lights._

_"You wanted to show me a classroom?" Elizabeth chuckled, but Tom had a very serious face._

_"This classroom hasn't been used for a long time," he started walking around while Elizabeth's sight followed him, "You can kind of call it abandoned," they both paused, looking around, "It's very interesting if you ask me. The castle is so big, I bet there are so many more not used classrooms."_

_"True," Elizabeth agreed, smiling._

_"I have a question for you, Elizabeth."_

_"Yes?"_

_"I noticed how you read every night in the Great hall," Elizabeth was a bit creeped out, "And I thought this classroom would be a better place."_

_"Why?" she wondered._

_"Good question," he approached closer to her, "In life, there are things that are rare to find, or enjoy, why would you choose to read in the same Hall you visit every day when I can give you this?"_

_Elizabeth smiled at him, "Thanks, Tom."_

_"What are you reading?" he pointed at the book in her hands, being curious._

_"Oh," she held it up for him to see, "It's just a book that has love poems in it, from Nikita Gill. You should read it."_

_"I will," Tom took out his wand, "Can you promise me something?"_

_"What is it?" Elizabeth asked, getting anxious from his wand._

_"Promise me, that no matter what, you will come to me when you need anything."_

_"Tom-"_

_"Promise me! I need your promise..."_

_"Ok- I promise," Elizabeth said getting more confused by each passing second._

_"Good," he smiled, "But I need to make sure you don't remember me being in here."_

_"What? Why-"_

_He cut her off, "Obliviate."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N
> 
> The flashback might be a little confusing to some people, so I am quickly going to clarify it.
> 
> Tom and Elizabeth were friends. When Elizabeth stopped being friends because of his house, Tom felt insecure.
> 
> Since that day he observed and kind of stalked her. But, with some memories, he had to erase them to not make him look desperate for her.
> 
> And, now he wants to make her remember. Because he wants to win her. And if you realized, they had the same conversation in chapter 3, when Elizabeth catches Tom stalking her.
> 
> Tom did that on purpose to make her remember, but it didn't work.
> 
> This means, there are more to Elizabeth's and Tom's relationship to discover...


	8. Secrets and Powers

1 month later

Being with Draco was difficult. Elizabeth had to be very careful, he jumped into conclusions often.

It was usually Elizabeth who sneaked into Draco's dorm since he didn't have a roommate. Nights were the only time they could spend quality time together, without worrying about who would see them.

Elizabeth was in the library, sitting on one of the desks, viewing and taking notes on her homework.

She then felt an eraser getting thrown at her, when she looked up, she saw Draco sitting on one of the desks. Not too far away.

She blushed and smiled at him, Draco bit his lip and stared at her. Elizabeth looked down at her homework and ignored him, when she looked back up again he was still staring at her.

"Stop," she silently mouthed at him.

"I love you, don't forget," Draco mouthed back, not actually speaking.

"I love you too," Elizabeth replied.

Their little romantic moment was ruined when Hermione sat right in front of her, with a large, thick book between her arms.

"We need to talk," she sounded serious.

"Yeah, of course, go ahead," Elizabeth let her.

"We have a problem," she looked anxious, "Harry believes that there are students who are death eaters."

Even though her robes were covering Elizabeth's mark, she closed it with her right hand.

"Oh," she commented.

"He fears that there are people who are studying dark magic. And with dark magic, there could be so many crises," she was using her hands while talking, making sure Elizabeth understood her.

"And..." she encouraged Hermione to go on.

"And he thinks it's Tom Riddle."

Elizabeth gulped, feeling guiltier than ever. She saw a hallucination of Tom Riddle right in front of her.

"If anyone learns a word about what happened here, you'll be dead yourself," She remembered everything he had told her that night.

"Elizabeth?" Hermione called for her, noticing she zoned out, "Do you know something?"

"No-no I don't," she trembled, not trying to look suspicious. "What is your plan?" she asked.

"We couldn't think of one yet, but we are planning to see who else Riddle turned. With that, we can try to learn what he has planned," Granger explained, "Harry also wants to kill him. He doesn't want Riddle to spread dark magic."

"That-that sounds good," Elizabeth looked around, trying to spot Draco, but he didn't seem to be there anymore.

"I have another question, Elizabeth," Hermione didn't look scared now, her expression got more worried.

"Yes?"

"Is there anything going on with you and... Draco?" she whispered the name.

It was so sure of their knowledge that they kept it a secret. But when Hermione asked her, her muscles tensed. She let go of her mark and started playing with her fingers.

"What? Ew-ew no," she tried to put on an act, "Why would you think that?"

"Ron caught you too talking a lot, outside of class. He's worried," Hermione tried not to sound disgusted, but you could clearly tell she was.

"Oh no, there is nothing going on. Don't worry, Hermione," Elizabeth then saw Draco coming back into the library, using his fingers, he told Elizabeth to follow him, "I should go now, I'll see you later alright?" she stood up and walked away.

"See you later too," Hermione dully said, not believing what Elizabeth told her.

Draco and Elizabeth met in an abandoned classroom, again.

"How did you find out about this classroom," Draco asked, closing the door, "So clever of you."

"Actually, I don't remember. I just remember reading here every night last year," she informed him.

"Well now it's our classroom," he whispered in her ear, leaving a kind kiss on her cheek.

"Right," she chuckled.

"Is something wrong?" Malfoy saw right through her.

"Why does your last name matter so much, Draco?" she looked down at the floor, not wanting to see Draco's reaction.

Draco instantly got worried, "Did something happen? Did someone say something? Talk to me, Elizabeth."

She liked this side of him, although one part of her always reminded her how it wasn't permanent.

"No," Elizabeth didn't want him to get more concerned, "I just- we can't keep us a secret forever."

"I know."

"Sooner or later, we'll need to tell everyone."

"I know."

"And I'm afraid when we do, everything is going to go down."

"I know."

"Stop agreeing with me," she giggled, trying not to show him how upset she actually was.

Draco smiled back, "Let's just live the moment," he switched his voice to be more, raspy and deep.

Elizabeth sat on one of the desks and parted her legs, taking the hint from Malfoy's flirty voice. Draco stood in between her legs.

He brought his head together with hers, pressing his forehead against hers. He then brought his hand to her chin and lift it up.

And kissed her.

Elizabeth's hands were holding onto the desk, trying not to give in so easily. But Draco didn't care, he just wanted to be with her.

Not wasting time, they took things further and their clothes made a pile right next to them.

Draco connected three desks and made Elizabeth lay on them. He then climbed over her.

"Please don't braid your hair," he muttered, taking off her hair tie, "It makes you look like a student."

She laughed, "Perhaps, it's because I am a student?"

"Yea but," Draco went on, making her hair fall down, "It looks so much more beautiful when you leave it on."

"I'll note that," she pulled him closer and started kissing down his shoulders. Draco let her do her thing. After, it was his turn to taste her.

The lovers had plenty of time to smear kisses all over each other's bodies.

"Draco," she whined, "I want you, now, please."

Once they were done, Draco got off of her. Since he was more experienced, he was able to walk until he reached their clothes. He wore his clothes while Elizabeth still laid down on the tables.

"Come on," he encouraged her to stand up, "We are probably missing class right now."

"Mhm," Elizabeth sat up, Draco brought her clothes and helped her wear them.

After dinner, Draco went to his dorm and so did Elizabeth. She had her book wrapped around her fingers, sitting on her bed.

Hermione was studying right next to her.

She tried to read the words but her mind was somewhere else. She kept cherishing what had happened in the classroom, unconditionally grinning.

"Is the book funny?" Hermione asked, noticing her out of place behavior.

"The book? Oh-oh yea. It is funny," she lied.

"Right," Hermione didn't seem to believe her again. But she chose not to bother.

It was the evening, Hermione and Elizabeth were sleeping. Once it was around 2 am, Elizabeth's dark mark started burning up.

She instantly woke up and rose up from her bed. Rolled up her sleeve and felt the heat increasing on her arm.

It hurt.

And she didn't know what it meant.

Was Tom calling for her?

She had no idea.

But Elizabeth knew who would know. She got off of her bed, completely, and made her way down the stairs and out the common room.

Her destination was Malfoy's dorm.

She had memorized the path to take now. Being very careful not to get caught, she reached his dorm.

Hesitantly, she knocked on the door.

No response.

Knocked again.

No response.

'He's probably sleeping,' she thought to herself.

But then, her instincts told her to knock again.

"Draco," she whispered, trying not to awoke anyone else.

"Oh, it's you?" she heard his footsteps coming closer. He opened the door and Elizabeth entered. "I thought it would be someone else," he informed her.

"Who would it be?"

"I don't know," he changed the topic, "What's wrong?"

"I missed you."

"Oh is that so?" he smirked, "Come on in then," his lips grew wider, almost covering his whole face.

Draco went and sat on his bed, Elizabeth closed the door and followed him to the bed.

Malfoy asked her to lay down on his lap.

Her head was placed gently on top of Malfoy's laps. She curled up into a small ball and Draco started playing with her hair. He made sure none of her hair bothered or tickled her face.

The two lovers stayed in the same position for a little while. Then, Draco started humming a song for her. 

"Draco," Elizabeth rose up from his laps, then she made sure their heads were at the same level, "Promise me you won't give up on us."

Draco suddenly had an uptight facial expression.

Elizabeth went on, "It just seems so impossible for us to be together."

"I won't give up on us," he agreed to her, tucked her hair behind her ear, and kindly kissed her lips.

"Promise me-" before Elizabeth could make him promise, her mark started burning again, "Ouch!" she screeched in pain.

"Elizabeth, are you ok?" Draco questioned her.

"Yea-yea I'm fine," she lied, "Does your mark hurt too?"

"Mine?" Malfoy asked in uncertainty.

"Yes, mine has been hurting for a while now. I don't know why," she rolled up her sleeve and showed it to Draco. Her arm was slowly turning red due to the heat.

"That means Riddle is calling you, reaching to you," Draco informed her, his eyes fixed on her arm.

"Why would he?" Elizabeth covered her mark again and stood up from the bed, "After a whole month, I thought he would give up."

"Riddle isn't the type to give up," he took a sharp breath, "Trust me, I know him."

"Agh!" Elizabeth fell down on her knees, the pain got more unbearable with each passing second. As if the problem Tom had was an emergency.

Draco went next to her, grabbed her face with the two of his hands, and made her look into his eyes, "We have to go to him."

"I am not-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Draco interrupted her, "Or else the pain will just develop and grow."

Without another option, Elizabeth agreed.

Draco grabbed a portkey that would bring them to his house.

They both stood right in front of the door of the manor, Elizabeth's pain slowly started easing. Draco grabbed her hand, tight, like he was afraid she would let go.

"You'll be fine," he muttered.

"We'll be fine," she corrected him.

The door's of the manor opened, Tom Riddle stood right in front of them.

He was offbeat.

His hair was messier, his clothes were the same ones since Elizabeth last saw him. He looked desperate. Like he hasn't been taking care of himself for the past month.

He smiled when his eyes met Elizabeth's. When he noticed Draco standing next to her, his smile faded. Furthermore, when he saw them holding hands, he frowned. He got angry.

"I only called Elizabeth," he started speaking, even his voice sounded different, "Not you," he spoke, looking towards Draco.

Draco couldn't speak. He was afraid of the things Tom could do with the dark mark on his arm. But you could clearly tell he was out of his mind, his other hand turned into a fist. His knuckles started turning yellow due to his blood not reaching them.

"He has to come with me," when Elizabeth defended Draco, his hand turned normal, "Or I won't come either."

"Well come on in then," Tom had to agree.

They all walked towards the living room. To their surprise, there were more people. Elizabeth recalled some of them.

Pansy was crying in the corner. Elizabeth's eye fell upon Pansy's arm, and there she saw the reason. Her dark mark was standing on her arm.

Blaise was also to be present. He wasn't crying, but you could tell he was frantic. There were more people, Slytherin's mostly, they all had the dark mark.

'What are you trying to do Tom?' Elizabeth asked herself.

"Sorry about the mess," Tom laughed, in a devilish manner. 

Draco let go of Elizabeth's hand and went next to his friends. He hugged Pansy, tried to comfort her. But Pansy cried more. He then showed Blaise his own mark. The trio had their moment.

Elizabeth was just watching.

"Can Draco control you and Pansy at the same time?" Tom approached closer to Elizabeth.

"She is his friend, Tom," Elizabeth refused what Tom told her.

After a couple of minutes, Draco turned back to face Elizabeth and Tom.

"I am sure many of you are wondering why you're here," Riddle started talking, walking back and forth in the room, "I am building an army."

"What army?" One of the new death eaters asked.

"What do you think an army is for?" he sneered, "War, of course."

Elizabeth's blood rushed up to her brain. Her jaw started shaking. Draco instantly went next to her, patted her back. Elizabeth placed her head on his shoulder and shut her eyes closed.

"A war? We can't fight!" Many people protested Tom's idea.

"We are not strong!"

"Against who?"

"You can't do this to us!"

"We don't deserve this!"

There were many shouting and question all around the room.

"Silence!" Tom demanded, in the loudest voice he ever could use, "Your questions will be answered very shortly. I, myself, will train you."

He paused.

Then continued, "You guys will be invincible. Stronger than you can ever imagine."

"Answer our questions then!"

"I will," he casually talked, then he slowly went next to Elizabeth, "But I first need to have a private chat with, Elizabeth."


	9. Her Prince

"There is no way that I am letting you talk with her," Draco rejected Tom's order. "No way," he emphasized himself.

"Is that a bug talking?" Tom was the only one grinning in the room, "because I don't remember asking for it to talk," he referred to Draco.

Draco got furious. Being unable to hold back any longer, he struck first and punched Tom Riddle.

Riddle laughed.

Finding it hilarious how Draco stood a chance against him.

Elizabeth quickly stopped Tom from furthering the fight, "I'll talk with you."

Draco turned to Elizabeth, his lips parted as he stood in shock. "Why would I leave you two alone?" he asked.

"It'll be ok, Draco."

She tried to gently hug him before leaving, but Draco was too skeptical to let her. He backed away when Elizabeth tried to hug him.

"This way," Tom showed her the way. He locked the door of the living room to ensure nobody followed them and no one fled away.

They reached a library, books all around. Elizabeth smiled at the sight of the books, "It's wonderful," she started reading the titles of a couple of books while Tom watched her, admiring her.

_"Reading is an escape from reality, isn't it?"_

There he was. The Tom she had met first. She could make out the spark of emotions from his eyes.

"Yea-yea it is," she agreed. Her brain buzzed, it felt like she heard that sentence before.

Then, he switched the button. "This war will make the death eater's the most powerful creatures in the wizard community."

"Why would you do that?" she questioned him.

"To show how _powerful_ I am," he said, feeling superior.

"You don't have to-"

He stopped her, "Everybody will see that they cannot be stronger than me by the end of the war. Nobody will have any other choice but to serve me."

"That only makes you desperate for power," This time Elizabeth's interrupted him.

"I still need to show how much power I hold."

"You don't!"

"Yes, I do!"

They both screamed at each other. Elizabeth blinked faster. War meant loss. Her heart skipped a few beats. War could destroy her friendships. She placed her hand on her chest, trying to keep calm.

"I will not let anyone touch you, even a strand of your hair, I won't let them," Tom thought the reason she was scared was death. But she was far more anxious about witnessing her loved one's death.

Possibly Draco.

Maybe Hermione? Ron?

Harry?

Then it clicked to her, she recalled what Hermione told her;

_"Harry also wants to kill him. He doesn't want Riddle to spread dark magic."_

"Is Harry Potter trying to kill you?" Elizabeth eased, "Is that why you want this war? To show your power against Harry?"

Tom stayed quiet.

"I'm right aren't I?" She felt confident.

"You're quite clever," he started speaking, "There is more to it."

"What is it?"

"I want my name to fear people," he walked closer to her, Elizabeth simply froze in her place, "One day, everyone will dread saying my name. I'll be the greatest wizard."

Elizabeth didn't want this Tom Riddle.

It felt like, in her memory, there was a whole another version of him. She just couldn't recall it.

_"I'm scared, Tom."_

**_*flashback*_ **

_It was late at night, Tom had caught Elizabeth in the abandoned classroom. Elizabeth blabbered to him about the book she was reading._

_Tom listened, although he didn't understand a word._

_"And then, the prince brought the princess to the roof, they talked until the morning, isn't it so cute!" Elizabeth was going crazy over her book. "I'm sorry, I just think reading is an escape from reality. So I get caught up with it."_

_"Yea, it is cute," Tom agreed, but not to the book, he was looking right at Elizabeth. So then he thought, "Why don't we do the same?"_

_"What?" She asked, puzzled, closing her book and putting it on the desk._

_"We can climb up to the roof, it'll be fun."_

_"I'm scared, Tom."_

_"Oh please, what are you scared of?" Tom chuckled._

_"I'm scared of heights." Elizabeth was embarrassed, but she felt too anxious to climb up to the roof._

_"You are scared of heights yet you are obsessing over it in the book?" He smiled._

_"Shut up," she gently hit his lap, "It sounds like a great idea but-"_

_"No but's" Tom stood up, offered his hand, "The best part of life is when you get to fight with your fears."_

_Elizabeth got stuck in his eyes for a while, her lips parted and she smiled._

_"Please take my hand," Tom smiled even more, "I don't want to get rejected."_

_"Fine," Elizabeth took his hand, "You'll be the prince, I'll be the princess."_

_They sneaked around the hallways. Tom knew the school better than Elizabeth, so she trusted his authority._

_They reached the stairs, it was long. Halfway, they had to rest to catch their breath. Once they reached the top, the smile on Elizabeth's face vanished away._

_"We are at the top," she anxiously whispered, the wind hitting her face._

_"Hold onto me," Tom extended his arm for her to take it. Without a doubt, she gripped his arm and they found a comfortable spot right on the roof._

_"What if I fall?" Elizabeth was unable to enjoy the moment, she was more concerned about the height._

_"I'll catch you," Tom laughed at her being scared, "What did the people in your book do when they reached the roof?"_

_"They just talked."_

_And for hours, Tom and Elizabeth sat on the roof, talking. Elizabeth entirely forgot about the height, the more they talked, the less she was frightened._

***now***

"Oh please, what are you scared about?" Tom's eyes shined. He thought she could actually remember the memory. Every morning, afternoon, night, he regretted erasing her memories.

_"I'm scared of you."_

Tom's eyes suddenly turned dark as the night. His eyes had warped into a miserable black. A look of great bitterness swept across his face.

"Now now, Elizabeth," he placed his hand on her shoulder, Elizabeth closed her eyes at once, "Why would you be scared of me?"

She opened her eyes, "One part of me feels hurt by you for being so cruel. On the other hand, another part thinks that I'm a wretched person to think you are good."

Tom advanced the location of his hands, putting it right on her cheekbones, their chests slightly touched, "You know what?" he asked, his eyes turning darker and darker, "I kept waiting for you but you never come back to me."

Elizabeth wasn't scared of the war at the moment, she was more scared of the anger growing in Tom's face.

"What does that suppose to mean?" she asked.

"It means that there is so much to the story that you don't know."

"Tom-"

"I just wanted to tell you that we start training tomorrow," he ignored her attempts to talk, "And I will be training you myself. That's not a question."

"Why?"

"Because you're the only Gryffindor that's a death eater, you need actual training for us to turn you into a Slytherin," he smirked.

"I will never become a Slytherin!" She shouted, and ran for the door. When she opened it, using his wand, Tom closed it back.

"Let's not be too sure now alright?" he got closer to her, "5 times every week, we'll meet up here. At this library. I will train you while the others train downstairs."

Elizabeth couldn't reject him. She would be significantly more likely to suffer harm if she did, and her loved ones would suffer as well.

She tried to escape once more, and this time she succeeded.

Elizabeth ran down the stairs as if her life depended on it. However, there were a couple of sentences that kept bugging her;

_"Why would you be scared of me?"_

_"I kept waiting for you but you never come back to me."_

_"It means that there is so much to the story that you don't know."_

Once she unlocked the living room's door, Draco ran to her. "What did you guys talk about?"

"I'll tell you tonight."

"Why not now?"

"Not the time, Draco."

One by one, everyone left the manor, going back to Hogwarts. Before Draco and Elizabeth left together, Tom also wanted to have a little chat with Draco.

Elizabeth patiently waited, looking around the manor. When Draco came back they went to Hogwarts together.

"I have to go back to the Gryffindor common room now," Elizabeth started telling Draco, "I don't wanna seem suspicious."

"You were going to tell me what you and Tom did- or talked about," he complained.

"I will, tomorrow?"

"Yea, right, tomorrow," Malfoy didn't look filled nor convinced with her answer at all, but without letting her speak, he left to his own dorm.

Pansy ran after him, even though Draco hadn't said a word to her.

But Elizabeth was too tired and sleepless to follow up with it.

After a restful night's sleep, she felt refreshed. She realized that she had seemed suspicious towards Draco yesterday.

So, with that, her morning destination was his room.

When she slipped into her clothes and stepped out of the door, she saw Hermione come into their room.

"Hey Hermione!" she greeted her.

"Hey," she replied back, "Where were you last night?"

"Oh- um- I was just doing-doing something," Elizabeth stammered.

"Doing what?" Hermione continued interviewing her.

"Nothing," she blurted out, "I mean not-not nothing," taking a long breath, she continued, "I just can't really-really like- you know..."

"No I don't know," she stated, "You are barely at our dorms at night, I always have to go to Ronald's room."

That moment was the moment when Elizabeth realized she was drifting away from her friends.

"Hermione, I am so sorry, I really am," she paused, "But things are really complicated. I wish I could tell you, and I will one day. Just not today."

Hermione shook her head, not wanting to bring it further. She was not a fan of taking things by force.

"Why don't we spend time together after dinner?" Elizabeth attempted to have a union with her.

"Yea, I'd love that," she smiled, "Hogsmeade?"

"I'll meet you then," the two lovely friends hugged and Elizabeth rushed down to Draco's dorm.

By this time, she had memorized the directions she had to take to reach him, so it didn't take her long.

Although, she just didn't know how different this visit for her would be.

She graciously went up-stairs, eager to see Draco. When Elizabeth reached his dorm, as she always did, she knocked on the door.

And then she heard a voice.

A voice that made her smile not only disappear but also _useless._

_"I'll get the door, Draco."_

A voice of a girl, so familiar.

Sudden anger filled up her veins. Anger, in a moment like this, can scar for a lifetime. Self-control, however, is worth the time and effort it takes to develop.

It was Pansy.

She opened the door.

The second her eyes met with Elizabeth's, her lips started shaking.

"Leave, _now_ ," Elizabeth necessitated.

Without reply, Pansy ran off.

Draco was still sleeping.

Elizabeth entered and closed the door behind her. She swallowed half of her anger when she saw Draco with clothes. The rage that developed in her was like a fire-seed that was abandoned to cool itself.

And it was due to a person she loved the most. Elizabeth was never going to forget the soft eyes of him that sparked at the sight of her. But also how those eyes burnt her to ash.

Draco had loved the sparks of her passion, even the way she sizzled in rain, but what he had done wasn't fixable. Nor was it forgivable.

"Who was it?" Draco asked, thinking Elizabeth was Pansy.

"It's me."

She looked at him in disgust.

"Elizabeth?" he instantly stood up, staring at her, frightened, "I can explain."

"Explain?" she increased the tone of her voice, "How can you explain this, Draco?"

"I was mad and-"

"Mad at what? Me?! What did I ever do?!"

"You made out with Tom Riddle!" he accused her.

"I never did that!" she stood in shock, "You cheated on me!"

"You weren't telling me what you did yesterday," he started going mad, "So I thought something that you-you couldn't tell me happened... which would be making out with Tom!"

"I never made out with Tom after we were together!"

"So you did make out with him?" Draco laughed, not that it was funny, but because he was going crazy.

"Don't even start! You slept with Pansy!"

"Yeah only slept! I didn't even place my hands on her!"

"Now why would I believe that?" Elizabeth stepped towards him, "You never loved me? Did you?"

"Right, I never did, never would," he said gliding out with such ease.

"I can't believe you right now," she was at the urge of letting it all out.

"Listen to this, Elizabeth," he also stepped closer to her, "If you want me, you will only be mine, not mine and Riddle's!"

"But I wasn't his," numb tears slowly started forming beneath her eyes, hard to keep them from not falling down, "I was only yours."

"I saw the way he looks at you, and I can't even look at you that way myself!"

"What does that supposed to mean?"

"I tried loving you, I really did. I mean- there is nothing wrong with you. You are beautiful-"

"Don't," she stopped him, "Do _not_ compliment me right now."

"Whatever," he started getting more serious, "I couldn't let him win."

"Let what-who win? What are you-"

"Tom!" he blurted out, "I couldn't let Tom have you. I had to show him how I was better. How I was the better man."

Her world stopped. Everything she had been living to this day was a lie. It was rather a lot to take in.

"You failed then," she couldn't help her tears sprinting down anymore, "Ugh, gosh, I can't actually believe that-that I believed you!"

_"I had to do it, I couldn't let Tom win. But he did."_

"Was it worth it?" she screamed, not being afraid of who would hear, "Was it worth breaking me? Destroying me?!"

"Elizabeth, please be quiet, please," he begged.

"No I won't be quiet, Draco Malfoy," she shouted even more, "I will let everyone know who you really are!"

"Don't, please," he tried to hold her in place, but she didn't let him.

"Don't put your filthy hands on me," she whispered loud enough for him to hear, _"This isn't done here Draco, this is just the beginning."_

She slammed the door and left.

There was only one place she thought of going to.

Tom Riddle.

She apparated to the manor. When the door opened, Tom stood right in front of her. A successful smile grew on his face like he was expecting it.

_"I didn't know who else to come to."_


	10. Broken Hearts

Elizabeth was sitting on Tom's bed, in his bedroom. Tom had made her breakfast, he had it all on a tray. 

"Sorry, I am not much of a chef," he sat beside her, handing the tray, "Better than nothing though."

"Thanks," she grabbed the tray and started eating the breakfast, "You know I remember-"

"You remember?" his eyes started glowing again, "Remember what?"

"When you first came to Hogwarts, I was the one who gave you chocolate frogs when you felt discluded," she had crashed his hopes once again.

"Oh," the glow in his eyes faded away, "right."

"Did I say something wrong?" she asked, seeing how fast his expression changed. 

"No-no, you didn't," he painfully smiled, "Why did you come here though? What's wrong?" 

"A lot is wrong," Elizabeth put away the tray she was given, the food wouldn't go down from her throat. 

"Let me guess," Tom got more comfortable in the bed, "It's about Draco? Isn't it?"

_"How did you know?"_

"Because-" he stopped a few seconds to think, "Well because, if you two were still together then he wouldn't let you come here. Not alone."

_"I didn't even tell you that we weren't together anymore though, did he tell you already?"_

"No-no," Tom regretted starting the topic, "Just my guess," Elizabeth stayed quiet, with that, Riddle went on, "Anyway, I'll leave you alone then."

"No-" Elizabeth reached for his hand before he completely left, "I feel so alone, please stay." 

"Alright, I will," Tom smiled and sat in his spot again.

"It felt like a nightmare," Elizabeth took a sip of the juice Tom brought for her, "Seeing him with another girl." 

"Then, what if our nightmares were our memories?" 

"Maybe," she agreed, putting away the juice, "But it's still a nightmare."

"The world isn't made up of unicorns and rainbows, Elizabeth."

She wondered at Tom's abilities to still make her laugh in this position.

"Sometimes," he scooched closer to her, "You'll see the part of the world that leaves you hopeless over and over again, but don't give up," he grabbed her hand, "Trust the universe, alright?"

"Alright," she agreed.

Tom slowly reached for her jaw. He turned her chin towards him. Elizabeth smiled, not yet aware of his intentions. 

Then, Tom stood up, he walked over to the side of the bed Elizabeth was laying on. In a sudden surprise, he went on top of Elizabeth.

He smirked at her reaction. 

Elizabeth's hands were holding each other right under her chin. Tom slowly separated her wrists and locked them in his hands, at each side of her head.

Tom lowered his head to reach her lips. He waited for a while before actually touching them. Elizabeth needed a distraction herself and decided it would be good to have a little fun with her revenge.

So without waiting for Tom, she made the first move. 

She reached up to kiss his lips. Tom didn't complain, he kissed her back. 

Elizabeth wanted to have a little fun, she surrounded her arms around Tom's neck and flipped him over on the bed.

Now, Elizabeth was on top of him. 

She distributed her legs and had Tom's body in between them. "Impressive," Tom commented before pulling her mouth back to his. 

The two of them, being very chaotic, only kissed for a while. But Riddle didn't stop surprising her, he grabbed her shirt and ripped it into two. 

"What did you do?!" she got mad at him for a second.

"You look better without it." 

Elizabeth smiled, savoring the moment. But she didn't let it slip away, she noticed the knife on the breakfast tray Tom brought her. 

She grabbed it and used it to rip his shirt.

 _"Did I impress you?"_ she placed her hands on his chest, _"Again?"_

_"You never fail to, darling."_

With that, Tom dived all over her body. He turned her over again and started leaving trails of his mouth around her. 

All kinds of enjoyable noises for Tom left Elizabeth's lips. She threw her head back while feeling him. 

Tom tightened his grip around her neck, making her face him. "Look at me," he whispered, "You have to look at me, not the ceiling." 

It was almost noon when they were finally left breathless and stopped. 

After putting herself together, Elizabeth panicked, "Just because you don't go to school anymore doesn't mean I don't," she started going through Riddle's closet to find fitting clothes for her.

Tom laughed at her. 

"Stop laughing!" it made her panic more, "Everyone is going to ask me where I was, and as if I didn't lie enough to my friends, I am going to have to lie more!" she complained.

"You can just tell the truth then," Tom offered.

"Yes, you know what, I can," she sarcastically said, "I mean what's the worst that can happen right? They'll just hate me forever and I'll have no one!"

She borrowed a shirt and pants from his closet, finally finding one, "At least I missed potions," she muttered to herself, Tom wasn't able to overhear it.

"I adore how my clothes look so handsome on you," he continued to watch her from the bed, chuckling. 

"Oh gosh, stop it please," she couldn't help but laugh with him, "You technically complimented yourself." 

Tom stood up from the bed, only having his sweatpants on. He walked over to Elizabeth and fixed her hair, "You were the one complimenting me just now, right there," he pointed to the bed.

Elizabeth blushed and apparated back to Hogwarts.

She grabbed her books from her dorm. It was class time, so not a single soul appeared in the hallways. 

Then, she felt cold hands, full of rings, covering her mouth.

Her eyes widened, not exactly being sure who the person was. They were dragging Elizabeth to the bottom of the stairs while Elizabeth tried to breakthrough. 

But their grip on her mouth was too stiff.

She was finally able to recognize who the person was when she bumped into the wall.

Draco Malfoy.

"Where'd you go? " he raised a harsh glare at her, being far beyond furious. "Where were you?" he finally let go of her mouth.

Elizabeth caught her breath, "I am not _yours_ remember? So it's none of your business!" 

"It actually is my business," Draco tried to look bold.

"How so?" 

"Very much so!" he snapped, locating his hand on her neck. Then, when he removed the portion of her hair that covered her neck, he saw Tom's fabulous trails.

"What is this?" he wailed, worried and angrier. "Who did this?!"

Elizabeth slapped his hand away and covered it back with her hair, "That's also none of your business." 

Her attempt to escape was blocked by Draco, who pulled her back toward the wall.

"I swear, Elizabeth if you think making me jealous will change anything-" 

She cut him off, "I am not trying to do anything. I am trying to live my life. Now if you let me-"

"I don't let you!" This time Draco interrupted her.

"Oh wait-" she smiled through her pain, "I don't have to ask you. We are not together. Not any more," and this time, when she walked away, Draco let her.

After she left, Draco kneeled down next to the stairs. It was one of those horrible nights that changed everything for him that made him do what he did to Elizabeth. 

***flashback***

_It was the night where Elizabeth's mark was burning._

_When she and Malfoy went to the manor, Draco remained downstairs for Elizabeth's and Tom's talk to conclude. Once she was back, Tom desired to speak with Draco._

_The two enemies went upstairs, to the library. "Muffliato," Tom pointed his wand to the door, not wanting anyone else to hear them._

_"What do you want?" Draco asked him, dimly._

_"Isn't it obvious?" he sat on one of the chairs, meanwhile, Draco still stood up, "I want Elizabeth."_

_Draco's mouth dried up, the anger that he was trying to avoid was there for a little while. But it only escaped when he was around Elizabeth. Heck, he was even angry when his sandwich wasn't made right._

_"Find yourself another girl," Draco tried to talk back through his rage, "She is mine and will be mine."_

_Tom's knuckles turned white from clenching his fist too hard, gritted teeth from the effort to remain calm._

_"It's not a request," he let go of his fist, "She was mine before she was ever yours."_

_"I bet there's an underlying reason for why she left you."_

_Tom maniacally laughed, "Let me just get to the point here," he walked closer to him, "You are going to break up with Elizabeth."_

_"Oh yeah? Who do you think you are to tell me what to do?"_

_"Now let's not forget," Tom controlled the dark mark on Draco's arm. Making it hurt, "I can easily hurt you, and the people you love."_

_Draco growled in pain, "Stop it! I am not going to leave the only thing that is keeping me sane!"_

_"But you don't have a choice," Tom smirked, still hurting him, "I don't think I made myself clear, I want Elizabeth."_

_"She is never going to-" Draco tried to not shout from the pain, "she will never love you the way she loves me!"_

_"Let's not be too sure now, shall we?" Tom stopped the torture he caused Malfoy, "She loved me once, why wouldn't she love me again?"_

_"You really think you earned her love?" he started getting more furious, "You will never earn her respect!"_

_"I think she will lose her respect towards you after you break up with her," Tom managed to stay optimistic._

_"I won't break up with her," Draco seemed so convinced._

_"You know I can also harm her, right?" Tom wasn't serious, but Draco didn't know that._

_"You won't-"_

_"Oh yes I will," Riddle cut him off, hurting his mark again, "Now will you listen to what I say?"_

_"You are such a-"_

_"Now, let's be careful with our language," Tom interrupted him again, not letting Draco talk. "I can read your's and her mind. If you try to trick me, it won't end well."_

_"How will you do that?"_

_"With the mark lying on your hand, trust me there is so much I am capable of."_

_There was a long silence as Draco brought his thoughts together. His angry eyes told the pain untold, and he wished to tell Elizabeth, but he couldn't._

_Draco knew he would be Elizabeth's storm in any circumstances, but if it meant she was in danger, he had to keep her safe._

_It was hard for the boy to show his kind eyes to Elizabeth. He had to let her all the way in, and now he had to push her all the way out._

_"Now," Tom broke the silence, "I will tell you what you need to tell her, understand?"_

_"Understand," Malfoy muttered under his breath._

_"I already talked with Pansy, she agreed to do it-"_

_"No," Draco cut him off, "I will not, and I will never, act as I cheated on Elizabeth!"_

_Tom ignored him, "I already talked with Pansy before you guys came, she knows what she has to do. All you have to know is, Elizabeth will catch you two together in your bed."_

_Tom smirked at himself._

_"Then, of course, she'll get mad, I need you to tell her these," Tom took out his diary and started reading it, "I never loved you, I never would," he flipped the page as if he was taking out some memories from his diary, "I tried loving you, but I can't," he flipped that page again, "I couldn't let Tom have you, I had to show him I was better."_

_Draco wrote it all in his memory and left the room._

_Tom grinned triumphantly._

_He assumed Draco and Elizabeth would not separate unless something drastic happened. Most likely, this wasn't likely to occur anytime soon, since Elizabeth loved him._

_But, there was a time where Elizabeth also loved Tom._

_"I'll make you remember, Elizabeth," he started whispering to himself, "I'll make you remember and we'll be happy together again, just like old times."_


	11. Dark Magic

Elizabeth and Hermione were returning from Hogsmeade. They had a great time together. Getting to catch up on everything they missed out on.

The Gryffindor girl was far shocked at how Weasley's and Granger's relationship grew.

Once they were back into their own common room, their laughs faded away. Not trying awoke anyone.

After Elizabeth forgot about her laughter, she remembered Draco.

She tried to push him away from her brain. Meanwhile, Ron came downstairs.

"Finally," he seemed worried about the two girls, "I was beginning to think you both got bloody kidnapped!"

Hermione giggled.

Ron grabbed her hand, Hermione waved at Elizabeth, and the two lovers rushed upstairs. Leaving Elizabeth alone in the common room. She sat in front of the fireplace and started thinking.

Then, uncontrollably, a part of her brain remembered what Tom told her.

_"Why would you be scared of me?"_

_"I kept waiting for you but you never come back to me."_

_"It means that there is so much to the story that you don't know."_

She got more comfortable on the couch and tried to dive deep into her brain. What did he mean? She kept asking herself questions she couldn't answer.

Soon, she felt a presence sitting next to her.

When she turned around, she noticed Harry Potter. Like Elizabeth, he also stared at the fireplace.

Thinking.

"Hi," Elizabeth greeted him.

"Hey."

"Harry," Elizabeth started getting nervous about the questions she planned to ask him, "If you don't mind, I have questions."

"What are they?" Potter also got anxious about what she might ask.

"Well," she felt her muscles getting stiff, "Hermione told me about how you are planning to-to kill...Tom."

Harry's face grew way more serious. As if he was expecting information from Elizabeth. "Go on," he encouraged her.

"I was just wondering how you guys are going to do it?" she tried not to seem suspicious.

"It's not going to be too easy," Harry started telling her everything he knew, "We need to find 7 Horcruxes."

"7 what?"

"Horcrux."

"What is that?"

"Tom split his soul into 7, and well we already destroyed 2 of his..."

The rest of Harry's sentence was not heard from Elizabeth. Everything went quiet around her, including her own heartbeat.

She knew it was dark magic.

She had no idea why, but she got worried about Tom. The girl kept questioning why she felt for the Slytherin boy, but she couldn't answer it.

"Elizabeth-" Harry noticed her zoning out, "Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Do you have any idea what the next Horcrux maybe?" Potter asked, hoping to get an answer.

"No-no, I don't, Harry. I'm sorry."

"It's ok," he painfully smiled.

"I have to go," Elizabeth stood up, "I'll talk to you more later. See you!"

Before Harry could inquire where Elizabeth was going, she rushed out of the room. When she made sure no one was around her, she apparated to the manor.

As fast as she could, she fled inside.

When she knocked on the door, Pansy opened it.

"What are you doing here?" Elizabeth grew furious, "How dare you come here!"

"Calm down," Pansy backed away, "I'm also a death eater. The meeting is almost starting, you're not late."

"What meeting?" Elizabeth wonders aloud.

"You know, the death eater meeting. Didn't Riddle also call you?"

A deep hole opened up in her heart, but she didn't let herself drown in it. Elizabeth pushed away Pansy and went into the manor. When she reached the living room, she realized Pansy was correct.

All the death eaters were gathered together. Including Malfoy. He was sitting next to Blaise. When their eyes met, Draco instantly stood up.

When Elizabeth turned her back to all of them, she noticed Tom Riddle looking over her, his height being taller than her.

"What are you doing here?" Tom rustled to her.

"Last I checked, I was a death eater too," Elizabeth defended herself, _"Or did you just erase me from your memory?"_

Tom gripped her arm and dragged her to his room. He closed the door, locked it, and silenced it. Then, Elizabeth rushed to his lips.

She gave him a long, yet not harsh, kiss.

"What was that for?" Tom smirked, touching his lip.

"I had to do it," Elizabeth breathed heavily, "Because after I get mad at you, I don't want to kiss you."

"Why would you get mad at me?" Tom continued asking her questions.

"Number 1," Elizabeth started walking back and forth, "Why was I not invited to this meeting?"

"Because I'm already going to train you," Tom stood in his place, leaving over to the wall, "I didn't have to expect you to follow the directions I gave to others that you didn't have to follow."

"I think I still had the right to know."

"It wouldn't be safe," Tom went on, "If you grew more suspicious to other people, that's more dangerous to us as well. I have to keep you safe."

"I can protect myself!"

"Not in this situation," Tom stayed calm although Elizabeth was the complete opposite, "You need me to keep you alive."

"I don't! Not when you use one of the rarest and darkest magic out there! Who knows what you would do!"

Tom instantly walked next to her, "What did you say?"

"I said," Elizabeth was more confident than ever, "You can't protect me when dark magic is running in your veins!"

"There is no such thing," Tom refused, looking away from her.

"Is that why you won't look into my eyes right now?" Elizabeth continued, "Or is it because you divided your soul into seven pieces," she caught her breath, "Tom- I can't-"

Riddle grabbed a mug that stood right on his bed and threw it on the floor. It shattered into many pieces. More than they can count.

"I AM ONLY TRYING TO STAY ALIVE!" he yelled. Tom became aware of how terrified Elizabeth looked. He attempted to hug her, although, Elizabeth didn't want to. "Look... I know nothing makes sense to you. Not right now but-"

"But there is so much to the story that I don't know," she finished his sentence, "Stop coming up with excuses! And if there really is a part of the story I don't know... tell me."

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"You wouldn't believe me."

"You don't know that," they both paused, "And you won't know it unless you talk to me." Elizabeth continued.

"You loved me," Tom was zoned out, he was staring right at the wall, "So did I-"

"What are you-"

He cut her off, _"Then you didn't love me anymore. And I still love you."_

Elizabeth started blinking faster through her brain, trying to catch a memory of where she was in love with him.

There was nothing.

Her lips parted and she looked around the room, taking deep breaths. Her fingers started playing with each other, her stomach twitching.

"What does that mean, Tom?"

The confusion was simply anxiety in a different cloak for her. Brain defocused in an attempt to allow the empty parts of her brain to fill up.

"Nothing," Tom took a deep breath, "You'll understand when the time comes."

Elizabeth glanced around the room, trying to determine what to do next. She decided to keep asking for more information, hoping he will answer.

"When is it ever the right time?"

Tom closed his eyes and kneeled down on the cold floor, his hands covering his face, "Why don't you just give up on me, Elizabeth!"

"Why would I do-"

He ignored, "I am _bad_. Crueler than you know. I have so many plans for the future yet you are still here trying to get inside me!"

"What are your plans?" Elizabeth ignored the first half of his sentence, acting like she didn't agree with what he had said.

Tom devilishly laughed, "Stop trying to find any good in me!" he stood up and walked back and forth in the room, "The old, good, caring Tom died when I-"

He stopped. Not wanting to continue the sentence.

"When you what? What did you do so bad that it destroyed you?!" The Gryffindor girl thought she was closer to finding out but only stepped furthest away from the truth.

_I erased the part of you that loved me._

Tom shook himself and threw the answer far away, "It doesn't matter now."

"What do you have in mind, Tom?"

He had to stop loving her, he had to. Or else Tom would just hurt Elizabeth. Maybe to the point of her death. Although Tom brought her closer to him with all he had done until now, he had to do the opposite now.

_"I am going to kill Harry Potter."_

The anger from her eyes showed the scared child within herself. The girl who was taught to fight and starved of the love she craved.

And Riddle could clearly see the pain beneath it and her soul drowning in this person she'd carved to fit a world of indifference.

The best Tom could offer her is a void, to let her shadow box until she craves the sunlight.

Elizabeth channeled all her anger and pain into her and took them out by slapping him.

"If you ever kill someone," she declared, "You will officially kill me too."

Elizabeth hurried outside.

When she was gone, Tom destroyed his room. His clothes were piled up and ripped, trying to take his anger out. Everything that could break was already broken.

His heart as well.

His rare tears had dried up while he screamed at himself.

Elizabeth, ignoring every voice from his room, went outside. Getting fresh air. The cold breeze hit her face and made her hair fly around.

She then felt a warm blanket around her.

"Fight?" Draco asked, standing next to her.

"What?"

"Did you guys, fight?"

_"I don't remember having a single good memory with him."_

Draco stayed muted, not being exactly sure of how to respond. His silence was justified considering that they fought just yesterday.

"Do you read poems, Draco?" Elizabeth's eyes rained.

"No, why?"

"Poems are the only good thing that reminds me of him, Tom."

Malfoy found it difficult to act like he wanted to hear it. He had no choice when breaking up with her. Tom did it to gain her although he wasn't exactly sure how it helped.

"I have to tell you something, Elizabeth."

"Yeah?"

_Tom made me do it. He made me hurt you so that we ended our relationship. He wants you. And he wants you desperately._

"Tom-" just as he was about to spill the words he rehearsed inside him, they heard a creak from the back door.

The two of them turned around and noticed Tom watching them.

"You should leave," Elizabeth advised, "The meeting is canceled because of me."

"What about you?"

"I'll leave," she turned back to watch the trees, "I just want to clear my mind for a little."

"Be safe."

Just like that, Draco vanished away from his own house, going to Hogwarts.

Once he was gone, Tom made his way to Elizabeth.

"If you're going to apologize, don't waste your time. I won't accept it," Elizabeth warned him.

"I'm not sorry for anything," he dimly replied.

"I'll still train with you," she ignored his response, "just to get better at fighting."

"That wasn't an option. You were going to train with me either way and-"

"Can't you at least try?" Elizabeth snapped again.

"Try... try what?"

"I am trying so hard to ignore everything you do. Because for some reason I want to be on good terms with you. But you are not making it any easier, instead, you are making it so damn difficult."

"I tried so hard too, Elizabeth."

"You don't try for anything," she accused him, "You simply switch the flip when you feel bad."

There was a long silence in both of their mouths, Elizabeth continued, "Please don't start a war, Tom. There is no reason for you to start one."

"Look-"

She interrupted him, "People will die. _Maybe I will die._ "

There are times Riddle's brain fries up. It's no excuse for his own behavior. He tries to help, tries harder to be good, and then a trigger is flicked.

He feels fearful. Strong. That way, he flees or strikes out at someone who loves him. In those moments was when he had made Elizabeth forget.

For he is afraid to fail to be the warrior he was born to be. Instead, he was about to show the frightened child within, damaged and afraid, the one still hiding in the dark under the train table, awaiting the next beating.

Elizabeth was his only medicine that can heal this fractured soul. So like a stupid child he held out for love, wide eyes, and shaking limbs, still looking for that dark place all over again, but praying for the light.

 _"You will not die,"_ he sounded confident enough for Elizabeth to believe it, although she still didn't.

"You won't even try to understand," she frowned and vanished away. Leaving Tom alone in front of the trees.

When she was back, Hermione greeted her.

"You look so anxious, Hermione, what's wrong?"

"I Ron and Harry are leaving," she spoke, sounding out of breath.

"Why? For what?"

"We are going to find the Horcruxes before Tom starts the war," she took a sharp breath, _"That way we can kill him before anyone else gets killed."_


	12. Feel Your Enemy

As much as Elizabeth hated Tom, she didn't want him killed. 

It was the weekend and Elizabeth still haven't left her dorm. She was upset. Her insides were killing her. There was no second where she hadn't thought about Tom.

_"Then you didn't love me anymore. And I still love you."_

The confusion wasn't some marker of stupidity. Confusion is when fear scatters the higher thoughts to promote the chance of a subconscious solution finding its way through. 

If the brain believes one has time to think in safety, it will begin to think, to focus.

But she didn't feel safe.

And her closest friends weren't there to support her. Instead, they were out there plotting Tom's death. 

Hermione's bed looked empty. She had the energy to check Ron's and Harry's dorm. It was also empty.

She missed them.

In these mournful days the sun won't rise, birdsong passes like it was once unable to glide through the air.

But the truth is Elizabeth would rather sacrifice comfort than fighting a war. So instead, she let this heartache be as her teacher and the reason to keep seeking one who can hear the playful calling of their own soul.

The weekend passed, full of thinking. The next day, after her school was done, she went to the manor. So did every other death eater. To practice.

When she entered, everyone was already there. In a room of so many people, her eyes tried to find Tom. 

"Elizabeth," a familiar voice touched her shoulder. She turned around and saw Draco, "How are you?" 

"Good," she lied, "You?"

"Good," he lied as well. Elizabeth started to walk away but he held her back, "Are you going to train alone with Tom?"

"Yes," she answered, without hesitating, "He thinks I need more professional training since I'm a Gryffindor." 

"I can also help you."

"I don't think he'll let that," Elizabeth weakly smiled, "Plus I have so many questions for him."

"Like?" Draco encouraged her to go on.

"It doesn't really have you in it. Oh and-" Elizabeth changed the topic, "You were trying to tell me something the other day. What was it?" 

Draco seemed nervous to speak. He opened his mouth to speak but Tom stopped him.

"Hello hello hello my lovely friends," he sneered.

"What's with your mood today?" Elizabeth asked him.

"Nothing," he lied, ignoring the fact that he was delighted to have time alone with Elizabeth again. "You can go to my room, I'll give directions to the people here. Then I'll come to meet you." 

Elizabeth looked back at Draco for the last time and went to his room. 

The Gryffindor girl grew unusually curious when she entered his room. She started looking around. Trying to find anything that could answer one of her questions.

She came across a paper. It read, "Wool's Orphanage, Tom Riddle."

"What are you doing?!" Tom grabbed the paper back harshly, "Didn't your mom ever teach you to not snoop around people's room?"

"I'm sorry."

"You better be," Tom put the paper back where it belonged.

"Not for snooping around, for your parents." 

"It's fine," he casually said, not meeting her eyes yet, "I hated them anyway."

"Don't say that-"

"What?" he cut her off, "Do you want me to lie?" 

Elizabeth didn't want to continue discussing the topic. She sat on his bed for a while and waited for his orders.

 _"Crucio!"_ they heard a person screaming downstairs.

"What are they doing?" Elizabeth instantly rose up from the bed, "That's the unforgivable curse! You can't let them do it!" 

"They are training." 

"They are getting tortured by each other!" Elizabeth tried to leave but the door was locked, "Open the door! Open the door, Tom!"

"I can't."

"Are you crazy?!" 

"Elizabeth," he was calm, "They need to feel pain in order to fear it."

"Is this what you call training? Are you going to torture me now too?"

"If I wanted to torture you, you'd be with the others downstairs," he smirked. Elizabeth sighed, knowing whatever she said didn't matter to him. "They are each going to feel the pain, and they are going to cause it to another person. That way, during the war, they will survive both of the possibilities."

"What are we going to do?" she curiously asked.

"Dance," Tom opened the music from the record player.

Elizabeth laughed, in a disappointing way, "Are you kidding me?"

"No."

"How is that supposed to help?! You're only doing this to play with me, aren't you?" she took a deep breath, "Or else you could care less about me being safe and alive!"

His eyes now met hers, "Trust me..." he started approaching next to her, "Everything I teach you here will save you. I can't be by your side every second of the war. You will need to protect yourself. And I'll teach you."

He offered his hand, "Now, dance." 

She took his hand.

Tom dragged them into the middle of his room, wrapping his fingers around her waist. She encircled his neck with her arms.

The slow music twirled like thread around the two of them. Being tired, Elizabeth rested her head on his chest, and let him sway her body around.

Tom thought to himself, she used to love things like this. The pressure of a warm hand on her back and the feeling of her small agile feet gliding along the floor. She had always felt like a small bird learning how to fly, flailing around, and finally taking off with outstretched wings and windswept feathers. 

Without making it obvious, he slid his hand down into his pocket and took out his wand. Tom pointed the tip of his wand towards her back, whispering, "Stupefy."

At once, Elizabeth flew back. Her back hit the wall of his room, falling down. "What are you doing?" she screamed at him, panting. 

"Training you."

"How is this training? I could have been hurt!" she snapped, "I thought you wanted to dance!"

"You have to feel your enemy in order to fight them," Tom was patient.

"What?" Elizabeth stood up from the floor, walking towards him. 

"I am going to teach you how to feel and predict your enemies next move today," Tom also walked towards her, "By dancing." 

"I don't have a choice now do I?" 

"No. You don't."

For the next hour, while hearing many unforgivable curses from downstairs, they danced.

Tom would distract her from the actual plan and when she didn't expect it at all, he would attack her.

Each time, Elizabeth would fall for it. She would get thrown back, get hexed, or tortured. And each time, she would only grow more furious. 

"Can you please stop using that spell! It hurts!" Elizabeth complained.

"Not until you learn how to defend yourself," Tom tucked a strand of her hair behind her right ear and pulled her face closer, "Feel my next move. Predict it," he advised, "Don't focus on our dancing, focus on me. Focus on your enemy."

"Alright," Elizabeth agreed again, "I'll try my best." 

The music started playing from the record player again. Elizabeth got bored of listening to the same song over and over for the past hour or more. 

But this time, she was going to be successful.

She was determined on it.

They got into the same position again. Somehow, during it all, Tom seemed as if he only focused on one thing.

Her eyes.

That's what distracted her the most. Him looking into her eyes. It felt like their eyes completed their sight. When she caught his eyes, she couldn't look away. Elizabeth could feel the pain he radiated.

She just didn't know what caused that pain.

They started dancing again. Tom spun her around and dipped her down, Elizabeth was ready for him to attack her. But he wasn't doing anything. 

She was confused.

This particular dance was longer than the ones before. 

Tom dived into his thoughts. He knew love is never painful unless it is the pain of parting. Love is comfort and protection, it is care and acceptance. It is calm and passionate. It is generous and forgiving, a steady ship into any horizon. 

And he found it all in Elizabeth. 

They continued dancing for a few minutes, then Elizabeth felt his hand move. Without making it obvious, she also lowered her hand to reach her wand. 

Once Tom took out his wand and was about to recite a spell, Elizabeth blocked it.

She got so festive that she found herself hugging Tom while yielding her success.

Tom, being doubtful, hugged her back. Elizabeth tried to let go, but he was still holding on. 

"Tom," she whispered, still trying to break loose from the hug.

"Oh- sorry," Riddle put himself together and went on, "Congratulations." 

"So did you teach me how to stay focused today?"

"I did." 

"Thank you," she smiled at him, "Is it over? Today's training?"

"Yes," his answers were unusually shorter.

"Should we go back downstairs?" She asked.

"Together?" Tom seemed surprised.

"If you want to." 

"Sure," his lips twitched, almost turning into a smile. They both walked downstairs. Elizabeth was broken by the view. 

Everyone looked miserable. The unforgivable curse wasn't enjoyable at all, of course. But no one was moving. The death eaters were scattered around the room. 

"Oh no-" Elizabeth felt bad, she tried to help them but Tom grabbed her arm. Pulling her back next to him.

When the death eaters noticed Tom's arrival, they tried their best to stand up. Channeling all their last bits of energy together.

"Today's training is over," he spoke, ignoring the whole part where everyone was highly damaged, "You guys learned how to deal with the unforgivable curse, as well as doing it. Don't be afraid to use it during the war." 

Elizabeth noticed Draco at the corner of the room, he was staring right at them. His jaw was grasped, anger boiling up from his brain. 

"You may leave now, our next training is tomorrow," Tom informed them and they all left.

Elizabeth attempted to help the people who were completely destroyed and had no energy or whatsoever to walk. With her good intentions, she started walking towards them.

Tom grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him again.

He stood next to her and whispered: "If you do anything to help those people you'll regret it." Enveloping her in his grip, he lurched against her and pressed his lips to her ear.

"Let go of me!" Elizabeth removed his touch from her, "I am not cruel like you." 

She ran to Draco, not giving Tom time to pull her back. Once she was next to him, she noticed blood right on his shirt.

"Oh no-" she rolled up her shirt, exposing the injury on his stomach, "Oh- Draco, this is-this is bad." 

"I didn't know," he smirked, sarcastically.

When Riddle noticed Elizabeth pulling off Draco's shirt from far away, everything around him suddenly faded away. His view was only visible of Malfoy and Elizabeth.

He licked his lips and started walking towards them, mad. 

Noticing this, Elizabeth held Draco's hand and apparated them back to Hogwarts, before Tom caught them.

She gently laid him on his bed, she grabbed her wand and whispered a healing spell that helped the injury heal. 

"Thanks, Elizabeth," Draco smiled at her.

"It wasn't special for you," she didn't look at him, her eyes were fixed on the injury, making sure it was getting better, "I'd do the same for anyone." 

Draco knew he had never actually lived a moment in his life, before meeting Elizabeth. His heart was desperate without her. And the day he met her, his heart was colored by her eyes. The unusual feeling ached his heart. 

Getting her was his only wish.

And he knew the exact way to do it. 

"Elizabeth," he tried to sit up.

"Hey, no," she stopped him, "Lay back down, you rest, I'll clean up the mess." 

"I need to tell you something," he continued, avoiding her sentence.

"What is it?" 

"You know the day we were...done-"

She cut him off, "I don't want to talk about it, Draco."

"No, you need to know this."

Elizabeth sighed and shook her head, hinting at him to continue.

 _"Tom made me do it,"_ Draco said at once. Dropping the bomb right on her heart.

"Made you? Made you do-do what?" a scary fear developed in her veins, not wanting to hear the rest. 

"He made me break up with you," While Elizabeth tried to process everything he said, Draco didn't stop. He just continued ripping her heart into pieces, "He threatened me with you, again. He said if I didn't break up with you, he would hurt you." 

There was an eternal silence.

_"He said he wants you, and only you."_


	13. Meant To Be

As much as Elizabeth hated Tom, she didn't want him killed. 

It was the weekend and Elizabeth still haven't left her dorm. She was upset. Her insides were killing her. There was no second where she hadn't thought about Tom.

_"Then you didn't love me anymore. And I still love you."_

The confusion wasn't some marker of stupidity. Confusion is when fear scatters the higher thoughts to promote the chance of a subconscious solution finding its way through. 

If the brain believes one has time to think in safety, it will begin to think, to focus.

But she didn't feel safe.

And her closest friends weren't there to support her. Instead, they were out there plotting Tom's death. 

Hermione's bed looked empty. She had the energy to check Ron's and Harry's dorm. It was also empty.

She missed them.

In these mournful days the sun won't rise, birdsong passes like it was once unable to glide through the air.

But the truth is Elizabeth would rather sacrifice comfort than fighting a war. So instead, she let this heartache be as her teacher and the reason to keep seeking one who can hear the playful calling of their own soul.

The weekend passed, full of thinking. The next day, after her school was done, she went to the manor. So did every other death eater. To practice.

When she entered, everyone was already there. In a room of so many people, her eyes tried to find Tom. 

"Elizabeth," a familiar voice touched her shoulder. She turned around and saw Draco, "How are you?" 

"Good," she lied, "You?"

"Good," he lied as well. Elizabeth started to walk away but he held her back, "Are you going to train alone with Tom?"

"Yes," she answered, without hesitating, "He thinks I need more professional training since I'm a Gryffindor." 

"I can also help you."

"I don't think he'll let that," Elizabeth weakly smiled, "Plus I have so many questions for him."

"Like?" Draco encouraged her to go on.

"It doesn't really have you in it. Oh and-" Elizabeth changed the topic, "You were trying to tell me something the other day. What was it?" 

Draco seemed nervous to speak. He opened his mouth to speak but Tom stopped him.

"Hello hello hello my lovely friends," he sneered.

"What's with your mood today?" Elizabeth asked him.

"Nothing," he lied, ignoring the fact that he was delighted to have time alone with Elizabeth again. "You can go to my room, I'll give directions to the people here. Then I'll come to meet you." 

Elizabeth looked back at Draco for the last time and went to his room. 

The Gryffindor girl grew unusually curious when she entered his room. She started looking around. Trying to find anything that could answer one of her questions.

She came across a paper. It read, "Wool's Orphanage, Tom Riddle."

"What are you doing?!" Tom grabbed the paper back harshly, "Didn't your mom ever teach you to not snoop around people's room?"

"I'm sorry."

"You better be," Tom put the paper back where it belonged.

"Not for snooping around, for your parents." 

"It's fine," he casually said, not meeting her eyes yet, "I hated them anyway."

"Don't say that-"

"What?" he cut her off, "Do you want me to lie?" 

Elizabeth didn't want to continue discussing the topic. She sat on his bed for a while and waited for his orders.

 _"Crucio!"_ they heard a person screaming downstairs.

"What are they doing?" Elizabeth instantly rose up from the bed, "That's the unforgivable curse! You can't let them do it!" 

"They are training." 

"They are getting tortured by each other!" Elizabeth tried to leave but the door was locked, "Open the door! Open the door, Tom!"

"I can't."

"Are you crazy?!" 

"Elizabeth," he was calm, "They need to feel pain in order to fear it."

"Is this what you call training? Are you going to torture me now too?"

"If I wanted to torture you, you'd be with the others downstairs," he smirked. Elizabeth sighed, knowing whatever she said didn't matter to him. "They are each going to feel the pain, and they are going to cause it to another person. That way, during the war, they will survive both of the possibilities."

"What are we going to do?" she curiously asked.

"Dance," Tom opened the music from the record player.

Elizabeth laughed, in a disappointing way, "Are you kidding me?"

"No."

"How is that supposed to help?! You're only doing this to play with me, aren't you?" she took a deep breath, "Or else you could care less about me being safe and alive!"

His eyes now met hers, "Trust me..." he started approaching next to her, "Everything I teach you here will save you. I can't be by your side every second of the war. You will need to protect yourself. And I'll teach you."

He offered his hand, "Now, dance." 

She took his hand.

Tom dragged them into the middle of his room, wrapping his fingers around her waist. She encircled his neck with her arms.

The slow music twirled like thread around the two of them. Being tired, Elizabeth rested her head on his chest, and let him sway her body around.

Tom thought to himself, she used to love things like this. The pressure of a warm hand on her back and the feeling of her small agile feet gliding along the floor. She had always felt like a small bird learning how to fly, flailing around, and finally taking off with outstretched wings and windswept feathers. 

Without making it obvious, he slid his hand down into his pocket and took out his wand. Tom pointed the tip of his wand towards her back, whispering, "Stupefy."

At once, Elizabeth flew back. Her back hit the wall of his room, falling down. "What are you doing?" she screamed at him, panting. 

"Training you."

"How is this training? I could have been hurt!" she snapped, "I thought you wanted to dance!"

"You have to feel your enemy in order to fight them," Tom was patient.

"What?" Elizabeth stood up from the floor, walking towards him. 

"I am going to teach you how to feel and predict your enemies next move today," Tom also walked towards her, "By dancing." 

"I don't have a choice now do I?" 

"No. You don't."

For the next hour, while hearing many unforgivable curses from downstairs, they danced.

Tom would distract her from the actual plan and when she didn't expect it at all, he would attack her.

Each time, Elizabeth would fall for it. She would get thrown back, get hexed, or tortured. And each time, she would only grow more furious. 

"Can you please stop using that spell! It hurts!" Elizabeth complained.

"Not until you learn how to defend yourself," Tom tucked a strand of her hair behind her right ear and pulled her face closer, "Feel my next move. Predict it," he advised, "Don't focus on our dancing, focus on me. Focus on your enemy."

"Alright," Elizabeth agreed again, "I'll try my best." 

The music started playing from the record player again. Elizabeth got bored of listening to the same song over and over for the past hour or more. 

But this time, she was going to be successful.

She was determined on it.

They got into the same position again. Somehow, during it all, Tom seemed as if he only focused on one thing.

Her eyes.

That's what distracted her the most. Him looking into her eyes. It felt like their eyes completed their sight. When she caught his eyes, she couldn't look away. Elizabeth could feel the pain he radiated.

She just didn't know what caused that pain.

They started dancing again. Tom spun her around and dipped her down, Elizabeth was ready for him to attack her. But he wasn't doing anything. 

She was confused.

This particular dance was longer than the ones before. 

Tom dived into his thoughts. He knew love is never painful unless it is the pain of parting. Love is comfort and protection, it is care and acceptance. It is calm and passionate. It is generous and forgiving, a steady ship into any horizon. 

And he found it all in Elizabeth. 

They continued dancing for a few minutes, then Elizabeth felt his hand move. Without making it obvious, she also lowered her hand to reach her wand. 

Once Tom took out his wand and was about to recite a spell, Elizabeth blocked it.

She got so festive that she found herself hugging Tom while yielding her success.

Tom, being doubtful, hugged her back. Elizabeth tried to let go, but he was still holding on. 

"Tom," she whispered, still trying to break loose from the hug.

"Oh- sorry," Riddle put himself together and went on, "Congratulations." 

"So did you teach me how to stay focused today?"

"I did." 

"Thank you," she smiled at him, "Is it over? Today's training?"

"Yes," his answers were unusually shorter.

"Should we go back downstairs?" She asked.

"Together?" Tom seemed surprised.

"If you want to." 

"Sure," his lips twitched, almost turning into a smile. They both walked downstairs. Elizabeth was broken by the view. 

Everyone looked miserable. The unforgivable curse wasn't enjoyable at all, of course. But no one was moving. The death eaters were scattered around the room. 

"Oh no-" Elizabeth felt bad, she tried to help them but Tom grabbed her arm. Pulling her back next to him.

When the death eaters noticed Tom's arrival, they tried their best to stand up. Channeling all their last bits of energy together.

"Today's training is over," he spoke, ignoring the whole part where everyone was highly damaged, "You guys learned how to deal with the unforgivable curse, as well as doing it. Don't be afraid to use it during the war." 

Elizabeth noticed Draco at the corner of the room, he was staring right at them. His jaw was grasped, anger boiling up from his brain. 

"You may leave now, our next training is tomorrow," Tom informed them and they all left.

Elizabeth attempted to help the people who were completely destroyed and had no energy or whatsoever to walk. With her good intentions, she started walking towards them.

Tom grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him again.

He stood next to her and whispered: "If you do anything to help those people you'll regret it." Enveloping her in his grip, he lurched against her and pressed his lips to her ear.

"Let go of me!" Elizabeth removed his touch from her, "I am not cruel like you." 

She ran to Draco, not giving Tom time to pull her back. Once she was next to him, she noticed blood right on his shirt.

"Oh no-" she rolled up her shirt, exposing the injury on his stomach, "Oh- Draco, this is-this is bad." 

"I didn't know," he smirked, sarcastically.

When Riddle noticed Elizabeth pulling off Draco's shirt from far away, everything around him suddenly faded away. His view was only visible of Malfoy and Elizabeth.

He licked his lips and started walking towards them, mad. 

Noticing this, Elizabeth held Draco's hand and apparated them back to Hogwarts, before Tom caught them.

She gently laid him on his bed, she grabbed her wand and whispered a healing spell that helped the injury heal. 

"Thanks, Elizabeth," Draco smiled at her.

"It wasn't special for you," she didn't look at him, her eyes were fixed on the injury, making sure it was getting better, "I'd do the same for anyone." 

Draco knew he had never actually lived a moment in his life, before meeting Elizabeth. His heart was desperate without her. And the day he met her, his heart was colored by her eyes. The unusual feeling ached his heart. 

Getting her was his only wish.

And he knew the exact way to do it. 

"Elizabeth," he tried to sit up.

"Hey, no," she stopped him, "Lay back down, you rest, I'll clean up the mess." 

"I need to tell you something," he continued, avoiding her sentence.

"What is it?" 

"You know the day we were...done-"

She cut him off, "I don't want to talk about it, Draco."

"No, you need to know this."

Elizabeth sighed and shook her head, hinting at him to continue.

 _"Tom made me do it,"_ Draco said at once. Dropping the bomb right on her heart.

"Made you? Made you do-do what?" a scary fear developed in her veins, not wanting to hear the rest. 

"He made me break up with you," While Elizabeth tried to process everything he said, Draco didn't stop. He just continued ripping her heart into pieces, "He threatened me with you, again. He said if I didn't break up with you, he would hurt you." 

There was an eternal silence.

_"He said he wants you, and only you."_


	14. The Woods

Elizabeth instantly got off from his bed, giving him a death glare, "What did you say?" 

"I know, killing sounds bad," Draco also stood up, "But think of all the horrible things he did to us. We can't let him destroy our future." 

"Draco," Elizabeth started breathing deeply, "Do you hear yourself right now?" 

He stayed silent.

"I am not and will never kill anybody, not only Tom," Elizabeth gave her answer.

"Think about it, will you?" Draco encouraged her.

"There is nothing to-to think about. You shouldn't have thought of this in the first place," Elizabeth walked next to him, "Promise me not to do anything about it."

"What?" 

"Promise me you won't do anything that would put him in danger, Draco." 

"Don't tell me you developed feelings for this boy?" Draco's hand turned into a fist on his side. 

"I haven't," she lied, "I am just not a murderer." 

Elizabeth had come to his dorm to fix things with him. But after what he said, she couldn't abide being in the same room with him anymore.

She left. 

She went back to her own single dorm. Hermione's bed was still empty. Her desk was so organized, with no books or Hermione's notes.

She missed her laughter filling up the room, their late-night talks, and gossiping. The way Hermione had a way to comfort her, no matter the situation. The way Hermione combed Elizabeth's hair for her.

All around the rooms were memories of them together. She closed her eyes, letting her mind fill with Hermione's voice. She could clearly hear Hermione teasing her like she's just feet away. 

She wondered how they were doing, traveling around the world, trying to find Horcruxes to kill Tom.

Then, a knock on her door stopped the hallucinations. 

"Come in," she whispered.

Another Gryffindor girl came in, "Every house is called to the Great Hall," she informed Elizabeth, "The Professor's want to have a talk with all of us." 

"I'll be right there."

Elizabeth put herself together. Next, she walked out of her dorm, her destination being the Great Hall.

Once she arrived, everyone was already there. She found a seat for herself in her own house. Although there were so many people, more than she can count, in the room, she felt alone.

She had no one.

"Silence!" Her aunt made all the chatting fade away around the Hall, "I have called you all here for a very serious matter. Hogwarts is in danger, and so are all of you." 

With her sentence, even if she ordered everyone to talk, everyone would stay silent. Not a single noise was heard anymore, except Professor McGonagall's voice.

"With that being said," her aunt went on, " _no one is allowed to leave Hogwarts unless it's asked from a teacher_." 

When Elizabeth's ears processed Professor's last sentence, the rest of the announcement couldn't go in her ear.

If she couldn't leave Hogwarts, how would she meet Tom? How would she continue her training for the war?

Questions filling up her mind made her feel dizzy. Once everyone stood up from their seats, she guessed the meeting was over.

Everyone got mixed up with every other house in the hallway. It was the perfect time for Elizabeth to talk with Draco. 

She found him and tapped on his shoulder.

Draco turned around and slowed down when he noticed Elizabeth.

"Did you change your mind?" Draco whispered.

"No, I did not," Elizabeth whispered back, "We have a problem."

"What is it?"

"If we can't leave Hogwarts, how are we going to get to Tom?" Elizabeth informed him about the problem.

"We are going to do it anyway," Draco smirked, "No one will notice that the Slytherins are gone."

"How will I come?" 

"You do it too," Draco held her arm and he pulled them to the corner of the wall, his body covered Elizabeth so no one could see them, "You can come with me." 

"I can't crush the school's rules," she got worried, feeling Draco's hands slowly making their way up to her face, "If my aunt learns, she'll-"

"We'll be careful," he cut her off.

"I'm sorry, I can't do that," she stayed behind her answer, "Tell Tom the problem, will you?" 

Draco thought about it for a minute, then he answered, "Alright, I will." 

"Thanks," Elizabeth expected him to leave, but he didn't, "Draco..." 

"What were you going to tell me, Elizabeth?" he asked, "If I didn't tell you my idea about...killing Tom, what were you planning to say?" 

Elizabeth took a thick breath, "I wanted to fix things with you."

"Can we still do?" he finally placed his hand right on her cheekbones, "Do I still have the chance to fix it with you?" 

"Draco I-" before she could continue her sentence, Draco's arm started burning, specifically his mark. "What's wrong?" Elizabeth asked, hearing him wincing. 

"He's calling me," was the last thing Draco said before apparating away, not caring about the new rule.

Elizabeth went back to her dorm, she took out her books and started studying spells. She, herself, wanted to be ready for the war too.

She didn't want to die.

But she also didn't want to kill.

So, she practiced spells that would help her defend herself.

Time went by fast, it was around 10pm. She put away her books and went to bed. Right when she was about to slip away to sleep, she heard a knock on the window.

Being puzzled, she rose up from her bed and walked to the window. When she opened her curtains, there was nothing.

She went back to her bed again.

A second knock sounded from the window.

This time, she completely opened the window. She looked around, "Anyone there?" she muttered. 

A crow flew into her room. 

Elizabeth shrieked, "Shoo, shoo," she screamed at the crow, "Go away! Go...away!" she tried to hit the bird. 

Having no idea how the crow touched her wand and it turned back to who he actually was. Tom Riddle.

Elizabeth stood like a sculpture, being shocked. "How did you come here?!" she panicked, "You are not supposed to be here!"

"Calm down," Tom removed a feather of the crow from his shoulder, "You couldn't come to me, so I came to you."

"Huh?"

"Draco told me how you couldn't leave Hogwarts," Tom approached her, "So I decided I could come here for your training."

"Here? In my room?"

"The only difference it has from my room is," Tom looked around the dorm, "It has an extra bed." 

Elizabeth smiled.

Seeing her smile, Tom hugged her.

Elizabeth had been hugged before, but none felt like Tom's hug. There was something so warm, something that felt right, smelt right. She let her body sag, her muscles become loose. 

He gave her the respect of an equal but cradled her like a cherished child. In that embrace, she felt her worries lose their keen sting and her optimism raise its head from the dirt. 

Perhaps the hope had been there all along.

But, without some love, it was trapped. Like crystals in a stone. She felt him brush her hair back with his piano player fingers and kiss her gently on the lips. 

Elizabeth eased. 

But somehow, with the kiss, she felt her worries coming back. 

The worry of Tom dying.

She had no idea why she was so scared of it. So anxious about him dying. Like there was a whole story behind why she was scared... some things she couldn't remember...

"Tell me," Elizabeth stopped him from kissing her, "Tell me the whole story."

"I can't." 

"Why not?"

Tom held her face between his hands, "It's not the right time."

"Then when is it-" 

_"HE IS HERE!"_ they heard someone scream from the common room, _"TOM RIDDLE IS HERE! WE CAN SMELL THE DARK MAGIC!"_

Their moment together was completely ruined.

Tom held Elizabeth's hand and apparated them to the forbidden forest, "Stay with me."

"Why? I could have just stayed in my-" 

Harshly, he cut her off, "They knew I was there. They would have been suspicious of you, and it wouldn't end well!" 

"It's still going to be suspicious when they find out that I'm not in my dorm!"

"Now is not the time to worry about that."

They saw a couple of students, who were assigned to protect Hogwarts, and the teachers coming towards the forbidden forest.

"When I count to three," Tom was talking to Elizabeth, but his eyes were fixed on the teachers," We are going to run, and you are not going to leave my side."

"1..."

"But Tom-"

"2..."

"I'm scared-"

"3!" 

They started running through the woods, it was dark. Elizabeth couldn't see or feel anything except Tom's hand holding hers.

It was too tight that it hurt.

Elizabeth continued panting heavily, running. They could hear the students and the teachers footsteps from not too far away.

Once in a while, Elizabeth would turn her head back to see if any of them were close.

With every bounce of the suspension, her head wobbled like it was only loosely attached to her neck. Then every once in a while the teachers would disappear from view, only to bob right back up again. 

Tom stopped running. Looking around his surroundings, still holding her hand.

"Tom..." her lips trembled, she was cold, "What are we going to do?" 

Riddle turned around to face her, noticing her body shaking, he took off his jacket and put it on her. As quickly as he could.

"Scream."

"What?" Elizabeth asked, putting on his coat.

"We are going to run again," he said with so much gloom in his voice, "And you're going to scream as if I kidnapped you."

"But- I can't-" 

Tom stopped her talking by placing his lips on hers again, it was a short yet the most meaningful kiss. On the darkest night, Elizabeth was able to feel the butterflies in her soul.

When they were done, they started running again.

Being chased was nothing like the movies. 

The stars look heroic, lewd, and in command of the situation. The reality was far removed from that pretty version of running to save your skin. 

She forgot how to scream because her screams were either went unanswered or were punished with cruelty. 

"Come on, scream," Tom encouraged her.

She started screaming. 

Elizabeth's souls crashed into the muddy ground a few times before Tom held her tighter. Both of their faces being flushed red and their expression is just pure panic. 

Once they thought they were far away, they stopped running. Elizabeth finished screaming. At once, she fell on her knees. 

Her breaths were heavy, wheezing. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but she had to avoid it to slow her breathing. She hadn't run like this in ages.

Tom kneeled next to her.

"It's ok," he pulled her closer to him, "Everything is fine. It's over," he patted her back, brushing her hair with his fingers, "Calm down. Breathe. In and out." 

She started calming down.

Calm is the forest right after the dawn light has kissed the colors into being. Just being there brings the soul into sweet surrender, at one with nature, vibrant yet relaxed. 

That was what Tom felt like for her.

Her breathing became stable. She surrounded her arms around Tom, he only pulled her closer. In the middle of the forbidden forest, they had no idea what to do next.

Just when they think they outran them, Tom heard their footsteps coming closer.

At once, he stood up, dragging Elizabeth with him. His eyes noticed a tree big enough to hide behind it. They ran to it and cuddled right behind the oak tree to not be seen.

Tom surrounded his right arm around her neck while his left hand held Elizabeth's hand. 

They saw all the teachers and the students running past them, once no more noises of footsteps were heard, they stopped hiding.

But once they turned around, they wished to be still hidden.

_Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood in front of Tom Riddle and Elizabeth._


	15. Right Time

Elizabeth knew she was scared when those old fears run through her head. Or when she hears the taunting laughter of years past.

Especially when her bad memories cut loose their chains and invade her brain, eroding the person she has built since she met Tom Riddle.

But she was most scared when she saw the trio.

The trio's eyes all went down to Tom's and Elizabeth's hands. Their fingers were locked into each other and they haven't noticed it themselves, but the trio did.

"Ah," Tom started talking, "What brings you here at this time?" he asked, holding Elizabeth closer. Not being afraid. "Looking for another Horcrux?"

Elizabeth gulped back a breath as she processed everything.

"What are you doing with her?" Harry asked.

Ron was still focused on their hands. His ginger hair being more orange than ever, his eyes getting filled up with rage.

Noticing this, Elizabeth tried to let go of Tom's hand. But Riddle didn't let her.

"Oh, we were just out for a late-night run," Tom laughed at his own joke, "You know, just building up those muscles," he taunted.

Weasley walked towards them, his eyes were staring down Elizabeth's soul. Meanwhile, Harry was looking right at Tom Riddle.

Ron gripped Elizabeth's arm and started dragging her to their side.

"A little harsh now, aren't we, Weasley?" Tom pulled Elizabeth back, removing Ron's hand from her arm.

"I don't think so," Ron grabbed Elizabeth's jacket, which was Tom's. Right when he was about to pull on it, Elizabeth realized how screwed she was.

She was wearing a shirt under.

Which meant, her mark would be visible.

"Don't-" Before she could have stopped him, Ron already pulled down the jacket. Revealing the dark mark on Elizabeth's arm.

Hermione gasped.

Ron stumbled a few steps backward.

"You are one of them," Harry muttered.

Guilt comes again and haunts Elizabeth as she takes in a breath. It has been months since she experienced the pain of earning the dark mark, but it still cuts to her just as deep. It just visits her less frequent and softer in duration.

"It's not what it looks like," her voice was shaking as if she was about to break down. Tom grabbed hold of her hand tighter, to support her without speaking.

But the trio had completely turned against Elizabeth already.

"Hermione-" she focused on her, "You'll understand, right?" she let go of Tom's hand, finally and started walking towards her, "I missed you so much," a tear rolled down from Elizabeth's eye as she was about to hug Hermione.

But Granger backed away.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, "You lied to me! I can't- I can't believe this."

"I was going to tell you, I really was," Elizabeth took a sharp breath, "but I couldn't."

"WE HAVE TWO HERE!" Ron shouted as loud as he could, "WE HAVE TWO DEATH EATERS HERE!" he yelled for everyone else in the order to come to their place.

Hearing this, Tom sighed and walked to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth looked at the trio one last time, anger all over their face. Tom held her tight and they apparated to the manor.

Once they arrived at the manor, Elizabeth realized she wasn't alone. Tom had already called all the other death eaters.

Draco was there too.

Tom made Elizabeth sit on the couch and gave her a blanket before he started talking.

"We need to prepare quickly," worried Tom, "The order is now in full effect, and are back in Hogwarts. Any day they can destroy us. We need to be prepared."

Everyone agreed.

"Today they tried attacking me and Elizabeth, it could be any of you guys next time. Start dueling and showing no tolerance as you train."

Draco instantly went next to Elizabeth, "Are you ok?" he asked.

She was too numb to answer.

"I'll take care of her," Tom came and held her shoulder, "Pick a partner and start dueling."

Draco gave one last look at Elizabeth and listened to Tom. Every death eater was now dueling and preparing for the battle.

"Come on," Tom whispered at Elizabeth, making her stand up. He helped her walk all the way to his room.

When they arrived, Elizabeth crashed into his shoulder. Her tears falling down onto his chest, "They will never forgive me," she whispered.

"Then they are just idiots."

"I'm serious Tom," Elizabeth walked away from him, sitting on the bed. She breathed and continued, "Hermione was my sister, Ron was my brother, and Harry...he was my friend."

"I'm your friend too," Tom stepped closer to her, _"Who needs anybody else when we have each other?"_

Elizabeth faintly smiled, "Thank you, I wouldn't have known what to do without you."

Tom smiled back, "We should start training," he offered.

For the next hour, Tom taught many things to Elizabeth. The two started dueling while Tom walked her through every step, teaching her non-verbal magic.

He specifically told her how she had to move through the battlefield while defending herself.

Elizabeth listened and listened, taking everything he said and saving it in her brain.

Riddle was sure to teach her everything she needed to know. He didn't want to take anything to his chances.

Elizabeth was starting to get tired, she sat on the floor, making Tom sit next to her. "You did well today."

"Thank you," Elizabeth sang, being proud of herself.

Tom suddenly wrapped his fingers around her waist, making Elizabeth turn her whole body towards him.

With a little bit pressure on her forehead, using his chin, Tom Riddle made Elizabeth lay down on the cold floor.

_It reminded Elizabeth of when she first kissed Tom in the manor, before Hermione's birthday._

She didn't want to remember their first kiss being forced. But perhaps, that wasn't their first kiss at all.

***flashback***

_It was past curfew. With the hope of Tom being there, Elizabeth went to the abandoned classroom. To her luck, she wasn't caught by any teacher or students._

_When she entered the classroom, she noticed Tom sitting on one of the chairs._

_"You are making me forget, aren't you?" Elizabeth accused him, being mad, "You are making me forget memories."_

_"How did you figure it out?" Tom asked, standing up from his chair._

_"There are these-these holes in my memory, I can't fill them," Elizabeth's voice was full of panic, she continued sharing, "But for some reason, whenever I came next to-to you, I remembered them."_

_"How did you remember now?" Tom seemed calm, as always. He was living his storm in himself._

_"I wrote it in my notebook."_

_"You won't remember any of it soon enough," Tom approached her._

_"Why?"_

_"My magic gets stronger every passing day," he informed her, "Any day from now, you will completely forget these memories."_

_"Why are you making me forget?" she questioned in curiousty._

_"I don't deserve you," his voice changed tones, he seemed desperate yet so powerful, "I have plans for the future, bad ones, and I don't want you to be any part of it."_

_"But I deserve you," Elizabeth placed her hand on his jaw, almost in tears, "I deserve a little bit of love, don't you think?"_

_"No," Tom grabbed her hand that was located on his jaw, "You deserve so much more."_

_"Oh Tom," she pulled him into a hug, "You need someone to be there with you, let me be that person."_

_Tom was hesitant to hug her back, but in the end he did. When they were done, he pointed his wand towards her._

_Body shaking, Elizabeth gave a kind kiss on his lips. Leaving her trails, "At least you'll remember me when I forget about you."_

_Their first kiss._

_In the emotion of the kiss a volume of passion is spoken that transcends the works of the great poets combined._

_Tom knew how pretty her lips were, it was the feel of them that sent his my mind into a sensual state of intoxication. That's why he always reached toward her face and touched them lightly before the urge to kiss Elizabeth takes over._

_"Obliviate."_

***now***

Elizabeth laid down on the freezing floor, looking right into Tom's eyes. He was on top of her, although not a part of his body was touching her, yet.

He slowly glued their chests together, his hands on either side of Elizabeth's head.

 _"You deserve so much, Elizabeth,"_ he whispered.

"Where did that come from?" she smiled, having no idea how hurt Tom was.

He missed seeing the old Elizabeth. The way her eyes spoke to Tom before, but now the glow in them were gone.

And it was because of him.

He could not stop loving her. Instead, his love grew more everyday. Elizabeth had already betrayed his affections and left his heart in shattered disarray of pieces.

Every single time she stole a part of Tom and made it impossible for Tom to put them all back.

And yet, he always came back to her. He couldn't do anything but hope that she returned the part she had stolen.

She never did.

She just took more.

But Tom was ready. She could take him, his heart, his blood, but he would never let go.

Tom leaned closer to her face, "Stay alive, that's all I ask of you," he muttered.

Elizabeth held his collar and pulled him in for a kiss, but the kiss grew. It devopled into something they both couldn't name.

_Was it a goodbye?_

They had no idea.

Tom grabbed her by the neck and pulled her closer into him. He took every taste of her and memorized it, the way her lips smelled like roses, the way her skin felt as soft as a pillow against his own.

Elizabeth did the same.

She brushed his fingers through his soft hair, not breaking the kiss. Tom slipped his tongue inside her, making Elizabeth flinch.

But she wanted more.

She wrapped her legs couple inches above his waist. Tom slid his hand beneath her back and carried her to his bed.

They were both more comfortable on the bed.

Tom threw away the pillows to make a flat surface. They still didn't break their kiss, being connected to each other.

Elizabeth grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled it off, Tom did the same. Their dark marks started staring at each other.

Her body shivered.

If there was only thing she hated about Tom, it was that he made her get the dark mark.

Noticing this, Tom grabbed her arm. He slowly leaned over to it and started kissing the dark mark.

Elizabeth smiled.

Her body suddenly went back to being warm again.

She grabbed his shoulders and started kissing his chest, meanwhile, Tom slowly advances his hands towards her breast.

Suddenly, they both stopped.

They just looked at each other. Elizabeth felt something different. As if the questions in her mind were slowly getting answered.

They didn't smile but their eyes did.

An innocent tear sprinted down her cheek.

"What's wrong?" Tom asked, worried.

"What if you die, and I'm still alive?"

Tom climbed down from her body, she followed him. They both sat on the bed, she felt like a child getting prepared to have a big speech from their parent.

"I promise you, Elizabeth, I will not die. I can protect myself."

She smiled, "I still don't want a war. Even the thought is crazy."

"You'll be safe," he brushed his fingers on her skin.

"How long do you think it'll take? For it to finish?"

"Until me or Harry Potter dies."

They shared their vulnerabilities more readily than trading cards, interlocking their hearts as much as their fingers.

Elizabeth felt as if Tom took her roots in a way she would have never let another soul do. Feeling that he was her shelter.

The clock hit 12:00am.

"It's the right time," Tom muttered.

"What?"

_"It's the right time to make you remember."_


	16. Happy Birthday

12:01 am.

"Close your eyes," Tom ordered her.

"What?"

"Just do as I say, for once."

Hesitantly, she shut her eyes closed. She felt Tom coming closer, her body started shaking.

_Tom Riddle dived into her mind, using the dark mark, and walked her through one of the memories she forgot._

***flashback***

_"Open your eyes."_

_Tom Riddle and Elizabeth were in the abandoned classroom, 5th year. Tom had prepared a surprise just for her. He made sure her eyes were closed until they were in the classroom._

_When she opened her eyes, nothing was different from the way it was when she closed them. It was dark. No light._

_She turned around to touch Tom, to make sure he was still there._

_He wasn't._

_She extended her arm only to reach more darkness. "Tom!" she yelled his name, "This isn't funny! Please stop! I don't like the dark..."_

_Then, Elizabeth noticed a small candle right in front of her, it was flying around. Not being held by anyone._

_She loved magic_

_When the candle reached her, she noticed that it was on a cake._

_She then felt Tom's hands wrapping around her waist, a couple of inches above her hips. His chest was glued to her back. Riddle leaned over to her ear, "Blow it."_

_She smiled and blew out the candle._

_The lights opened at once and the cake was more visible to her._

_"Happy birthday, Elizabeth."_

***now***

Tension grew in her face and limbs, her mind replaying the memory. Her breathing became more rapid, more shallow. Elizabeth's mind felt like a hurricane.

The thoughts are accelerating inside her chaotic brain. She wished for them to slow so that she could breathe, but they wouldn't. Her breaths come in gasps and she felt like she was about to blackout. Heart hammering inside her chest, like it, belongs to a rabbit running for its skin.

The room spins and she kneeled down on the floor, trying to make everything slow to something Elizabeth's brain and body can cope with.

"I remember that day," she tried to speak, "That-that classroom..." she put the pieces together, "you found that classroom, for me..." she continued remembering everything.

She felt as if she were experiencing them all over again right at the moment. But then, the memories also felt so far away.

"So?" Tom tried to smile, "What do you feel now?"

"I-I don't really- I don't really know."

Tom sighed, "Elizabeth, please believe me. We loved each other at those times. I felt it. We were just too afraid to live it."

"Tom-"

"Please let us live those moments now. Let us experience everything we couldn't before."

Tom kneeled down next to Elizabeth and grabbed her hand.

"Do you feel different now?" he scooched closer, "Does my touch still feel cold to you? Or does it make you feel like you're home? Because that's what I feel whenever I touch you."

Elizabeth didn't do anything but reading his eyes. She saw the boy who loved her. But for some reason, she couldn't see the girl that was in love with him.

"I know you and I haven't been too good lately," Tom continued, "But those painful memories are books with chapters, deep and horrible; and so I leave them on the shelf to gather dust. You can do that too."

Elizabeth held his hand back.

He smiled and went on, "Then, I can pull them up if I need to learn something, to gain an aspect that helps me to create my own genuine story. I can use them to re-see situations through the lens of their needs and traumas rather than mine."

Tom put his other hand on top of hers.

"I want today, tomorrow, and every tomorrow after to be wonderful; I want to choose what to write on those blank pages. And I want to write them with _you_."

Elizabeth put her head down.

"Don't you?" Tom grabbed her chin and made her look back up to him, "What's wrong?"

"This is just a lot to take in."

"Do you want to sit on the bed?" Tom stood up and offered his hand.

Elizabeth took it and they both went to the bed and sat on it.

When the side of her eye noticed Tom's empty shoulder, Elizabeth couldn't help her head falling down on his shoulder.

Falling in love with Tom was the easy part, Elizabeth thought, it's admitting to herself that just happened to be so hard.

Every memory she had forgotten was slowly coming back to her brain, like a puzzle getting completed.

The more she remembered, the tighter she cuddled Tom.

Tom, finally being successful, held her hand and started talking, "Consider this as your birthday present," he exclaimed.

"You didn't forget about it."

"You are the one who forgot, not me," he smirked. _"Happy birthday, Elizabeth."_

And she couldn't help herself from kissing his lips. In that kiss was the sweetness of passion, a million loving thoughts condensed into a moment.

He stored all of his emotions into one kiss while kissing her back.

His hand always being in the same place, on her jaw. Just a little bit under her ear after tucking her hair back.

Elizabeth slowly laid back, still holding Tom's face close to hers. She felt his body slowly collapsing down on hers.

The kiss was long. It felt like what they lived until this time was nothing, but the actual conflicts were coming now.

He was right, Elizabeth thought, his touch didn't feel cold anymore. His touch made her feel far away from earth, at a place where only the two lovers existed.

She felt the hole in her life getting replaced by him, by his hands around her.

Their foreheads pressed into each other, eyes closed.

They could feel each other's breathing, heartbeats. Tom started brushing his fingers through her skin, "You have no idea how long I waited for this."

She smiled.

Then Elizabeth pulled him back.

Their mouths met each other, tongues dancing around. Tom lowered his lips towards her neck. For Elizabeth, kisses upon her neck started a fire within her no one else other than Tom Riddle could ever ignite.

Right when Tom reached the tip of her shirt, intensely, he took it off. He did the same to his own clothes.

Elizabeth started feeling him inside her.

Throughout it all, the pair did not flinch from keeping eye contact while also touching.

It was the next day, Elizabeth couldn't go to Hogwarts anymore. Everyone had already learned that she was a death eater.

She woke up earlier than Tom, went downstairs to the kitchen. Instead of coffee, she made them a good morning tea.

She heard fast and rapid footsteps coming downstairs.

"Elizabeth!" Tom shouted her name, "Elizabeth!"

She ran outside from the kitchen and noticed him in the living room, panting. "What's wrong?" she asked, walking closer.

"I thought- I thought since... you weren't next to me when I woke up," he slowed his breathing, "So I thought you were-"

"I'm fine," Elizabeth surrounded her arms around him, not letting him finish, "I was just making us tea."

Tom hugged her back.

Then, they walked into the kitchen.

"Here," she handed him the mug.

He took one sip, "Did you make this?"

"Yes, do you like it?"

"No," he put the mug back on the table.

"Such a nice way with words, Tom," she couldn't help but get irritated.

"It's too healthy."

"That's the whole reason I made it," she defended the tea, "So that we are healthy."

Riddle stayed muted, staring at the tea.

Elizabeth grabbed her mug and started drinking it herself, diving into her thoughts while watching Tom.

In her life, falling in love could be the worst of crimes, or so it seemed. They exchanged glances, lightest of touches, cold fights, and warmth.

She saw the little boy within Tom. The kid who she met first, the kid who she made feel welcomed.

With the side of her face, she saw Tom drinking the tea.

She laughed, "You don't have-"

Before she finished her sentence, the window of the kitchen shattered. Tom instantly made Elizabeth hide behind him.

The Order was attacking the manor.

Elizabeth could make out some of the voices who were reciting the spells.

Harry.

Ron.

Although, she couldn't hear Hermione.

"Stay behind," Tom held her hand behind his back, pulling her carefully out of the kitchen.

They had to kneel down at times to avoid the spells, both of their wands were upstairs. Which didn't come as fortunate.

Tom started dragging them to the stairs, slowly going upstairs. He made Elizabeth walk in front of him while climbing up. Just so that he could avoid her getting hit by any spells.

Once they arrived at their room, the spells from the outside were being screamed louder.

"So," Tom casually spoke, "What did you put in the tea?"

"Seriously?!" Elizabeth shouted, trying to find her wand, "You are going to talk about the tea while we are getting attacked?!"

"Did you put any peppermint in it?" Tom asked, ignoring her.

He then pulled her towards him again, collapsing her to the wall of his room. Trapping her between his arms.

"Why did you-" Her own question got answered when a deadly spell passed right where Elizabeth used to be standing before Tom grabbed her. "Thank you."

Tom gave her a short kiss before holding her hand and walking back downstairs again.

"Such a way to start your birthday now, right?" he continued teasing while trying to ignore all the unforgivable curses being yelled outside.

For a second, the spells stopped. With that, they started running faster, taking their chance. Although a second later they continued attacking.

"We have to get out of here!" Elizabeth shouted, kneeling down behind him.

"I couldn't tell," he sneered. With his wand, he opened the door that went to their backyard, "Go, run!" he ordered her.

"And leave you here?!"

"I can deal with them, you can't. If we both leave outside it's more dangerous. We can trick them into thinking we are still inside if one of us escapes at a time."

"I can't just leave you-"

"LEAVE!" he shouted, making her stumble backward.

But she still didn't leave.

Tom made her stand up by holding her shirt, and he pushed her towards the door. Forcefully, making her leave the manor.

Once she left and looked back, Tom had closed the door already. She tried to open it, but it was locked.

These next few minutes would either pass as a blip in the course of her life, or they would be the final trauma that broke her.

Tom would either come out of the manor alive, or dead.

To her, the spells were being heard more clear since she was now outside.

"Come on, Tom. Come on," she continually muttered between her teeth.

He was still not coming out.

Elizabeth then felt a familiar touch covering her mouth, the hand pulled her towards the back wall of the manor.

She shut her eyes at once, not wanting to know who it is. Afraid, to know who it was.

The hand slowly let go of her mouth.

When she opened her eyes, she was destroyed by the view.

Ron Weasley was standing a couple of steps away from her, with his wand pointing right at her.

She liked to think back to when they children instead of what Ron was doing now. How shy and uncomfortable he was back then. With cheeks that always seemed flushed and hair that did a lively dance when he ran.

Ron was a brother for her. A brother she could never have anymore.

How different he is now. All the softness of a child replaced by sharp edges and chiseled lines. Oh, but a bit of softness does remain.

Or she hopes it does.

_"Don't move," Ron spoke, still pointing his wand towards her, "Or you'll regret it."_


	17. Normal Day

From behind, she felt hands covering her mouth. At once, she was now at Hogwarts. Elizabeth looked around and noticed how everyone's facial expression changed, now that everyone knew she was a death eater. 

Harry was the one holding her.

They dragged her to her dorm. Hermione was there as well. She instantly stood on her feet, observing Elizabeth while fidgeting her fingers. 

Elizabeth sat on her own bed, watching the trio around her. 

The time she last saw them, was so much more different in many ways. They didn't have the anger that covered their faces and their hearts. 

"Why did you switch sides?" Ron asked.

She let his voice soak in, his words. The way his eyes met hers and turned away. 

"What did we do to you?" He continued.

"Nothing," she instantly replied to his second question. 

She didn't want to be here. At the place where all her childhood was spent, now she only saw the worst of her memories. 

The medicine she seeks in life was out of reach. 

"Is he alive?" she asked her question this time, "Is Tom alive?" 

"Why do you care about him?" Harry walked a step forward.

"It's a whole story," Elizabeth broke her eye contact with all of them, looked down to her sweating palms, "I hated him at first too but-"

Ron interrupted her, "Now you _love_ him," he disapprovingly talking back.

One second passed. 

Two seconds passed.

Three seconds passed.

"You won't understand," Elizabeth tried to hold onto the hope that this nonsense would end soon, "Because you won't try to."

"I stayed up the whole night yesterday," Ron walked closer to her, "Trying to figure out why someone would ever like...Tom." 

She gulped. 

"That isn't why she is here Ronald," Hermione cut in.

"Why exactly am I here?"

"Hermione told us that you might have become a death eater to be a spy for us," as Harry spoke, Ron walked back to his original spot, "Is it true?" 

Elizabeth gulped again.

But this time, as she swallowed, remorse filled her taste. She could hardly believe her being in this situation. 

On one side, was her friends since childhood. _On the other side, was her forgotten love since childhood._

For the first time, Elizabeth was glad to hear shoutings from the common room. In any other circumstance, she would be worried. Afraid in fact, but she has learned not to be afraid after all she has gone through.

When the dormitory door opened, the reason for the screams was known.

Tom Riddle came. 

The sight of him alive drew a sharp breath from Elizabeth.

"Riddle?" Ron muttered, surprised that he was alive, "What are you doing here?" 

"I don't remember giving you permission to take her away from me." 

He slightly bumped into Harry's shoulder and walked over to Elizabeth. He grabbed her arm and gave death glares to each member of the trio. 

"Now," he started talking, "If you ever steal something that isn't yours again, you might as well be... _dead."_

With his last sentence, Tom dragged her out of the Gryffindor common room. Their destination was where every Slytherin was currently located, they started walking through the hallways. Meanwhile, whoever was noticing the two walkings, anxiously backed away.

"You didn't mean what you said in there did you?" Elizabeth questioned Tom.

"About what?"

"About killing people for me."

Tom turned over to Elizabeth, "We both just survived an attack, on your birthday, and this is what you worry about?"

"It's not like I can have a normal day in a time like this," she looked away from Tom, trying not to show how upset she was.

"Hey," he held her chin and turned it towards him, "How about we forget about everything today and have a normal day?"

"We can't do that," she smiled at him, removing his hand from her chin, "There is so much to worry about."

"And we'll put it aside, for today, and enjoy your birthday," he continued, "I don't take no as an answer." 

"Fine," Elizabeth agreed. 

"You wait for me in the common room, I have a quick thing to get done." 

"What is it?" Elizabeth asked, being a bit nervous about what he could do.

"I just need to grab something." 

"But-" 

"Wait for me in the common room," Tom gently kissed her and left her speechless while he walked away. 

Elizabeth walked into the common room, her memories of coming here from before flooding her brain.

She heard noises from Draco's room, noises of throwing stuff on the floor, perhaps the wall.

Hesitantly, she walked up to his room. 

Elizabeth kindly and quietly knocked on the door. No response. Then she thought it was too quiet. 

She directly opened the door.

Blaise was sitting on Draco's bed while Draco was at the corner of the two walls, on his knees. 

"He needs you," Blaise mouthed when he noticed Elizabeth. 

With the voice of the whispering, Draco tilted his head up and saw Elizabeth in his room. 

He sprang instantly up.

"Elizabeth?" he sounded surprised like he never expected her. 

"Are you ok?" 

"Don't ask me that question," he started stepping closer to her, "Can you do a favor for me?" 

"What is it?" 

"Go to Hogsmeade with me, let's distract each other from everything," he was now close enough for his chest to level with her head. 

"Hogsmeade? Together?" Elizabeth summarized his offer. 

"As friends." 

"As friends?" 

"Please stop repeating everything I say," he went on, "It'll be good for you too," he added.

Blaise gently touched Draco's shoulder. Draco flinched. "Why don't you change into more proper clothes mate?" 

"Right," Draco's eyes were fixed on Elizabeth's. He felt like it was his last time seeing her. "I'll go and do that." 

With that, Draco left Blaise and Elizabeth alone.

"Do it," Blaise ordered her.

"Excuse me?" 

"Did that come off too harsh?"

"A bit, yea." 

"Please," he tried to sound kind, "Please go to Hogsmeade with him, just a couple of hours. It won't be torture. He really needs you." 

"Why?"

"His dad is forcing him to marry another girl from another wizarding school," Blaise went quieter, "Since that he has been going insane. Your name didn't leave his mouth."

"But I need to-"

"You really are not a Gryffindor," he cut her off, "Aren't you guys supposed to be...nice...caring?"

"But I was going to-"

"You don't have to," Draco came back, still in his same clothes. He was eavesdropping, "I'll go by myself."

Blaise rolled his eyes.

"Alright, alright," Elizabeth felt bad. In the end, they were still friends who shared a hard past, "I'll come with you."

A smile grew on Draco's mouth.

He quickly made them vanish to Hogsmeade. 

"It's my birthday today," Elizabeth broke the awkward silence as they started walking around.

"Really?" Draco's smile grew, "Happy birthday."

"Thanks," Elizabeth smiled back. 

"Why don't we celebrate it?" 

"How would we do that?" She chuckled. 

"Hogsmeade isn't special enough for today," he went on, making her stop walking, "Today isn't a normal day, it's your birthday!" he cheerfully sang.

"But what can we do?" Her smile only grew and grew. 

"There are these parks that Muggles make," he stopped to remember the name, "Amusements park, I think."

"I know those," Elizabeth jumped, "Can we go there?" 

"Alright."

They went to the closest amusement park.

Making jokes about the muggles around.

Eating unlimited cotton candy.

Winning stuffed animals from each game. 

Both of their smiles didn't fade away, instead, they grew and grew. They couldn't stop laughing. The amusement park was the sanctuary of their soul in those challenging days. 

They went on many rides.

Ferris wheel.

Roller coasters, although Draco hated how high each of them was, Elizabeth convinced him.

The ride that bugged him the most was bumping cars. Everyone was crashing into his car from every side, meanwhile, Elizabeth would laugh at him from the other side.

It was hard enough to learn how to use the car, now he had to worry about not getting crashed into.

"Watch where you're going mudblood!" He would shout at everyone who bumped into his car, and each muggle that heard the word _"mudblood"_ gave him a weird, confused, expression. 

Which made Elizabeth laugh more. 

Once they got out of the ride, Draco's smile vanished for the first time. "I hated that."

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth continued hugging the teddy bear they had won together, laughing, "It was so funny!" 

"It wasn't."

"Awww," she sarcastically continued, "Did someone get annoyed?" 

"No." 

"Yeah sure," she looked around and noticed another ride, "Let's try that one!" And without waiting for his answer, she started running to it.

Draco almost drowned in her smile, pretending to be just friends. He didn't want to be in the muggle world, he only wanted to be with Elizabeth. Far, far away from their troubles. 

It was close to the evening. 

"We should go back now," Draco finished the popcorn he was holding, "This muggle food actually tastes good," he commented.

"We should." 

Without anyone noticing them, they disappeared and appeared at Hogwarts. 

Draco continued walking, but Elizabeth didn't. She stood in the same position, holding the teddy bear. 

Noticing that he wasn't being followed, Draco turned around, "What's wrong?"

"Thank you, for today, Draco," she started walking after her sentence was done, "Today was one of the best birthday's I had." 

"Today was the best day I ever had." 

They both smiled at each other and walked back to their common room.

When they entered the common room, Tom Riddle was already there. Sitting on the couch. When he heard the door open, he stood up.

_Elizabeth internally died. They were going to spend the day together. It completely slipped her mind when having fun with Draco._

_"Surprise,"_ he approached them, _"I was beginning to think you two wouldn't show up,"_ he stopped walking, "Well well, where do I remember this scene from?" he teased, recalling back to Hermione's birthday. 

"Tom-" Before Elizabeth could speak, Tom was already on top of Draco. Punching his face. Malfoy's blood being on Riddle's face.

"Stop!" she yelled, "Stop please! Don't!" she tried to hold back Tom, but Elizabeth knew she didn't stand a chance against him. 

Being loud, every Slytherin filled the common room. 

Draco was too weak to stand up while Tom was already standing on his feet, facing Elizabeth. 

Suddenly all she saw was Tom, literally. Everything else falls away, every voice calling out for Draco echos. 

"Tom-" 

He cut her off, and started speaking, 

_"With one touch you entered my soul._ _As if your own body were its key.  
_ _There are people I will never know, and their lives will still ensue.  
_ _Of all the things that come and go, there is no one else like you.  
_ _The things I never think about, and the only thing I do."_

Everyone in the room went quiet, being completely shocked at his words. Tom continued, "That was the poem I was going to read you today, I had grabbed the book you loved the most. We were going to go up to the roof we went to before. I was going to hold you in my arms and we were going to read-"

"Tom I am-" 

"STOP TALKING!" he shouted, there was only so much he could take, "You never loved me. You just pretended as you did-"

"That's not true!" 

"THEN WHY DID YOU LEAVE?" he just became louder and louder. "WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME AND GO TO HIM?"

"Blaise he-he" she took a deep breath, "I completely forgot but- I was planning to-" 

"You are not who I thought you were," Tom's jaw clenched, hands in a fist, "I DID EVERYTHING FOR YOU!" 

As if the soul could bleed an ocean through the eyes, that was the enormity of her sobbing. 

She ruined everything.

"I swear Tom, I don't like Draco that way. Not anymore."

"You know," he approached her closer, their chests slightly touching, she could hear his breathing. And he could hear her sobbing, "I was actually planning to run away with you, not that you remember. I planned to run away and never come back to this filthy place-"

"Oh- Tom- I-" 

"But now I have nothing to lose." 

"Please don't do this."

"I didn't do this," Tom shook his head, "You did." 

Elizabeth fell to her knees, everyone watching the two broken lovers. Draco still laying on the floor, unconscious. People gasping, smirking. 

She hid between her knees and let her tears down. 

Tom also kneeled down, in a quiet voice, he whispered, "This time I won't be here to comfort you." 

Elizabeth was too ashamed to look up.

"I wanna start the war." 

Now, everyone's reactions were the same. 

_"Tonight, it's the most unexpected night for the Order. Get your wands ready, we are already in Hogwarts. We'll spread out and started destroying the school."_


	18. Weakness

Draco was still unconscious on the floor, in the meantime, everyone else grabbed their wands and took off. Not wanting to get on Tom's graveside.

Elizabeth stayed in the same position. 

Tom stood up and looked over at her, "You should also get up and fight if you don't want to die," he looked at her for a while, as if that was his kind of goodbye, _"Alone."_

Elizabeth left out a sob before Tom also left her. 

Draco slowly groaned and opened his eyes, looking around he saw no one. Except for Elizabeth. He stood up, holding his back. 

"What...happened?" he achingly managed to speak.

Elizabeth stayed quiet.

"Why are you crying?" 

She continued staying quiet. 

"Where is everyone else?" 

"War," she contrived to speak clearly through her tears.

"What?!" Draco instantly stood up, "We-we need to go. We can't stay here. Elizabeth- I- we need to do something!"

 _"I have nothing to lose anymore,"_ she said to herself, at the same time, she repeated what Tom had told her.

"Elizabeth?" Draco scooched next to her, noticing her non-stop tears, "What happened?" 

"I don't wanna explain it." 

"Alright-alright but we really need to go."

"I don't wanna go."

"Elizabeth!" He was louder, "We need to stop this or it's going to end badly!"

"Draco?" A soft voice Elizabeth never heard entered the common room, "Are you here son?" 

Elizabeth and Malfoy turned around at the same time, noticing Draco's mother coming towards them. 

"Hello there," she gently noticed Elizabeth, then turned back to Draco, "Riddle did it, son. We need to leave. Remember?"

"I am not going to leave," Draco muttered, he then went next to his mother and spoke quietly enough for Elizabeth to not hear them.

While the mother and the son had their conversation, Elizabeth could hear one thing clearly. The spells from the outside. 

She then heard a scream. 

It felt like she knew this voice.

The scream was heard again.

"Hermione," she whispered to herself. And she knew what she had to do. Instantly, she found her feet moving in the direction where the scream was coming from.

"Elizabeth!" Draco called her name several times after her, but she didn't listen.

She noticed Hermione battling with Bellatrix. 

"Oh, such a pity," Bellatrix was yelling at her, "The girl from the Golden trio dies," She continued throwing spells at her as Hermione blocked all of it. However, she was not able to cast any spells herself. 

Elizabeth took out her wand and walked closer to Bellatrix. 

Tom was hiding behind the stairs to watch Elizabeth, but she had no idea. Her back was turned against him. 

_"Expelliarmus,"_ she shouted, but her spell backfired. It threw away Hermione's wand instead. Hermione gasped, thinking she was on Bella's side. 

Elizabeth was anxious. She had no idea why she came here in the first place. Their training with Tom wasn't even over yet...it was probably never going to be over now. 

Bellatrix approached her, twirling a curly strand of her hair. 

"Who might you be?" she said, making Elizabeth shiver.

"Don't touch her," she didn't answer her question.

To her reply, Bellatrix left out an evil chuckle. 

Tom was about to join in the conversation, knowing Elizabeth was too unfocused to fight her. But she shocked him, and herself. _"Stupefy!"_

Bellatrix flew back and hit the wall, a couple of bricks falling down with her.

Saving this time, Elizabeth ran next to Hermione. "Are you ok?" 

Hermione shook her head and gave a weak smile. Elizabeth smiled back.

But Bellatrix wasn't giving up.

She stood up and pointed her wand towards Elizabeth. The poor girl covered Hermione when she stood in front of her, making Bellatrix face her instead. 

_"You have to feel your enemy in order to fight them."_

She carefully observed Belllatrix's move. The way she walked, the places her hands went. She then remembered the way Tom's hands stayed on his side before he grabbed his wand.

Bellatrix was in the same position as Tom when he trained her.

 _"Focus, Elizabeth,"_ Tom whispered, still hiding at his corner, "Focus..."

Before Bellatrix, Elizabeth grabbed her own wand. She grabbed it fast enough to confuse the death eater. Bellatrix was confused about which side of her pocket was the one with her wand.

When she found it, she also pointed it towards Elizabeth.

_Elizabeth recalled the time where Tom taught her non-verbal magic._

She decided to use it.

For the next few minutes, they dueled. But not because of the war, because they both eagerly wanted to show how powerful they were. 

Bellatrix wasn't afraid to use any unforgivable spells. But Elizabeth knew how to block them. 

Her focus slipped at the sight of Hermione moving. When she turned her head, Bellatrix found the perfect time to destroy her. 

"Death will be too easy on you, sassy girl," she muttered between her teeth, _"Crucio!"_

"Elizabeth, watch out!" Hermione screamed. 

This time, it wasn't Elizabeth who blocked the spell. It was from Tom. He stood right in front of Elizabeth, blocking the spell Bellatrix shot.

"Leave the girls alone, Bella," he spoke, "Find someone your age." 

Bellatrix huffed and left.

"Tom," Elizabeth whispered, then without listening to what Hermione had to say, she ran next to him, "Tom we need to talk, I am so- I feel-"

"Not the time," he cut her off, walking away.

But Elizabeth followed.

"You can't just assume stuff," she continued explaining herself, "You need to listen to me. Please- It's not what you think-"

Elizabeth was too focused on her talking, she couldn't hear any spells or the spell that someone cast it toward her. 

With a flicker of his wand, Riddle was able to block it. 

"Stop talking and start focusing," he informed her. They both continued walking through the battle-field.

Tom watched every death eater, observing how over half of them did something wrong.

Elizabeth grabbed Tom's hand, holding it tight in her's. "What are you doing?" Tom stopped walking and looked back at her.

"I don't know." 

Tom sighed, but he also held her hand. 

Half an hour had passed, and the death eaters were still weak, in Tom's eyes. 

"We have to go," he informed Elizabeth. He rolled up his sleeve, sent a message to every death eater, and they all apparated back to the manor. 

All the death eaters looked as if they experienced death.

They were all already tired, exhausted, weak. The three things Tom wanted them not to be.

"Get up you filthy people!" he screamed, not noticing that he and Elizabeth were still holding hands. 

When Riddle noticed everyone's sight going down to his hand, that's when he noticed. He aggressively let go of Elizabeth and continued talking.

"You all did _amazing_ today," he sarcastically spoke. When a couple of the Slytherin's smiled, he knew he wasn't clear enough, "ALL OF YOU FOUGHT WORSE THAN A FIRST YEAR!" 

Everyone flinched at his voice tone. 

"This isn't what I taught you until now," he started walking around, "We need to be strong...powerful." 

"But my Lord, we all tried our best," a guy shouted out loud. 

"Is this what you call your...best?" Tom started walking towards him, _"Crucio!"_ he made sure it was painful. 

The boy fell at once. Feeling the pain all over him. Wanting it to end, just like everyone else in the room. Hearing his screams felt as if they were all living his pain.

Elizabeth looked away.

"Try going against me again," Tom stopped the curse, "Next will be your death."

"What do we do now?" Pansy inquired Tom.

"Starting from tomorrow morning, you guys will train and practice until night," he stopped, then continued, "If I think you guys are ready, we'll attack again."

"Why are you going us one day to train?" someone else asked, trembling. 

Tom sighed, "Because if we wait too much, the Order will be on their way here. Idiot." He looked around the room, counting everyone in his head, "The manor has enough rooms for each of you to sleep alone, get your rest. You'll need it tomorrow." 

With his last piece of information, everyone spread around the manor to find a room.

So did Elizabeth.

The large manor sounded so silent after Elizabeth went to bed. Plus, she wasn't tired at all. Furthermore, she really needed to speak with Tom.

So that's what Elizabeth decided to do. 

Being very careful with each step she took, she headed out from the room she was given. Elizabeth already knew the way that went to Tom's room, although it was still a bit unsettling. 

She quietly knocked on the door, waiting for a response. And for some reason, whenever Elizabeth knocked on a door, she never had a reply.

With that, she slowly opened the door. Making a creaking noise. 

When she entered, Tom was sitting on his chair, observing a picture in his hand. He was too focused he didn't even notice Elizabeth coming in.

Elizabeth walked closer to him, from his back, she could see the picture she had found before. A photo of his orphanage. 

"Tom," she whispered. At once, Tom flipped over the picture. He stood up from his chair and looked at Elizabeth.

"What?"

"Can we talk?"

"There is nothing to talk about."

"There is," she weakly smiled, "I am truly sorry. But I can promise you I have no feelings for anyone other than you." 

"I only have one question for you," Tom walked closer to her, "All will be forgiven if you can answer it."

Being quite anxious, Elizabeth agreed.

_"Why did you choose me and not him? Why did you pick me over Draco?"_

Words left her. She stared into those brown, mysterious, broken eyes burning with anger. Her heart felt silent, her mouth agreeing to it.

"Answer me, Elizabeth."

But she couldn't. She couldn't will her lips to move. As if it was stuck in the ocean, slowly drowning. 

"Do you really have nothing to say?"

Her mind was blank and her eyes were wide as she stared at him in remorse. His eyes desperately searched hers...waiting. 

She had to say something.

"ANSWER ME!" he roared.

She searched her mind for something reasonable to say. And to her surprise, her heat answered her.

 _"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!"_ she roared back.

Tom froze. 

He had never in a lifetime heard someone say those words to him.

He took the memory in, spreading it all around his veins. Not wanting to forget the feeling it gave him. 

Being in love with her was painful for Tom. For he wasn't sure that the love was mirrored the same way, until now. The pain came from the fear and the need to feel loved, nurtured, and protected.

He has been searching for a home, but he was never sure where his home was, until her. 

"Oh, Elizabeth," he whispered, shaking his head to his sides. At once, he met her lips. 

She was relieved. Over the course of time, she became increasingly anxious about losing Tom.

Tom's hand wrapped around her waist while Elizabeth's were around his neck. She stumbled backward until a wall supported her back.

Elizabeth tried to speak through his kisses, "We-" Tom planted another kiss on her lips, "We are going to-" Another kiss right under her jaw that made her gasp, "We are going to wake someone up."

"Let them hear us," he muttered and carried her over to the bed.

The two desperate lovers stayed as quiet as they could, but they had crossed the lines after a while. Clothes piled up right next to his bed. Hands all over each other. Chuckles and smirks. Gasps and pantings.

Although they had already experienced all these feelings, tonight it felt different. His kisses felt like a dangerous kiss that would end him in the end.

His touch would become unreachable for her. 

Elizabeth pushed away from the thoughts and focused on how their bodies collided so perfectly. Their mouths fitting in each other.

They both felt like the universe made them for each other.

As the purpose of their breaths were each other.

And without one, the other would be incomplete. Forever.

Tom's hair fell down to his eyes, covering his view of Elizabeth. She slowly reached up and brushed his soft hair away from his eyes, although it fell down right away.

He smirked and fixed his own hair.

After one of the best hours they had, Elizabeth drifted away to sleep. She closed her eyes, between Tom's arms. Feeling safe and protected. All her worries easing away except the one about Tom being...gone. 

When he was sure she slept, Tom started playing with her hair. 

"I need you here," he said wrapping his arms around her more, making him a blanket for Elizabeth, "Because I am starting to think I actually have you now, please don't leave me," he continued whispering. 

He decided to open his heart to the sleeping Elizabeth rather than to the one who was awake.

_"I promise you after the war is over, we'll run away. We'll leave everyone behind and make-up for everything we missed. If you make it out alive."_


	19. Second Try

The next morning, they didn't waste time. Despite all of Elizabeth's try to make Riddle back away, she was unsuccessful. Tom gave the death eaters his speech, making them feel stronger than how they actually are, and they headed to Hogwarts.

It was quiet.

Peaceful.

Elizabeth knew it wouldn't last.

Soon, it would all get destroyed.

There would be deaths.

And her heart skipped a million beats just thinking about her friend's death.

"Attack!" Tom shouted, probably loud enough for everyone to hear it in the castle. While every death eater ran past Elizabeth and Tom, he patiently observed each one of them. Again.

A smirk of history grew on his lips when he realized how much they improved over a night. They felt more confident in themselves.

Acknowledgments to Tom.

Elizabeth gently grabbed his hand that was staying right beside Tom. Kindly, they locked their fingers in each other.

"Please, don't die."

"I won't," Tom promised again, tucking her hair back. "Come on, let's go."

They grabbed their wands and went inside.

She felt guilty.

It was the school she grew up in. And she was destroying it. Every corner had a special memory. And she saw the death eaters destroying it, mercilessly.

She felt a rush of adrenaline walking through the corridors with Tom.

Something bad was going to happen. She could feel it in the way Tom still kept her hand in his.

He was just as scared as Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth noticed Ron and Hermione rushing down the stairs, she let go of Riddle's hand.

"What are you doing?" Tom asked her, starting to get mad, "Elizabeth, hold my hand!"

"I have to talk with them," Without listening to Tom, Elizabeth started running towards Hermione and Ron.

She could only hear him cursing behind her.

The girl started making her way through everyone dueling, blocking any spells that could possibly hit her.

When she reached the stairs that Ron and Hermione went to, she stopped. Elizabeth kneeled down and listened to what they were discussing downstairs.

"It's the lost Horcrux, Ron," It was Hermione's voice.

"If the Basilisk's fang works, that means-"

Hermione cut him off, "That means, Tom will only have one life left. Which means-"

This time, Ron finished her sentence, _"Then he can die."_

"But Harry needs to kill him," Their voices started to fade away, walking farther, "In the end, they will have to face each other."

Elizabeth took a sharp breath, swallowing her next breath with a sob. There was only one Horcrux left.

Hermione was smart, she thought, if she guessed the fang would work... it would.

"There you are," she heard his voice, "Don't ever leave my side again," Tom grabbed her by her shoulders and made her stand up.

"I need to speak with Ron and Hermione," Elizabeth informed him, not meeting his eyes, "They are not close to the war, I'll be safe."

"I can't-"

"Please," she begged, "I really need to."

"Fine," Tom agreed, _"I'll wait for you here, alright?"_

"Alright."

Without wasting any seconds, she walked down the stairs. Fast enough to think she'd trip and fall.

She ran down and noticed Ron speaking Parseltongue, trying to get in the Chamber of Secrets.

"Ron?" she whispered.

At once, Hermione and Ron turned back to face her. "What are you doing here?" he questioned her.

"What are _you_ doing here?" she asked back.

"Isn't it obvious?" he approached her, "We want Tom dead."

"What did he ever do to you?" Elizabeth defended him.

Ron shook his head, disapproving, "You have changed."

"Ron-" Hermione joined the cheerful talk, "Don't-"

"No, Hermione, I will," he walked even closer to Elizabeth, "You changed Elizabeth."

"How so?"

"You used to never associate with Slytherins or our enemies-"

"We don't have to be enemies with them."

"Sorry to break it to you, but they are the side who started this."

"And you can end it!" There was a silence, Elizabeth continued, "Please, Ron, I'm begging you two. Don't kill Tom. _Don't._ "

Weasley didn't listen.

He started speaking Parseltongue again and the doors to the Chamber opened. Without hesitating, he went in.

Hermione didn't.

"Elizabeth," she gave her a hug, "I'm so sorry, I really am. But Tom needs to die. Or else the wizarding community will never be safe."

Elizabeth pulled away.

"How would you feel if your closest friends tried to kill the person you loved," she was on the edge of crying.

"You can't possibly...love...him. Plus-" Before Hermione could make her second point, a giant black smoke escaped the chamber. Making couple coughs escape their mouths.

"It's done," Ron came out, "The last Horcrux is destroyed. Let's go find Harry," Ron held Hermione by her arm and they vanished away.

Elizabeth kneeled down, taking a deep breath. She was scared to move on, to continue.

Then she remembered, Tom would be at the top of the stairs. Waiting for her. And Elizabeth needed him.

With that, she started running back to the stairs.

Tom wasn't there.

Elizabeth got worried.

The castle crumbles in slow motion, slower than the eye can detect even over a lifetime. Only the sun and the moon themselves witness the steady deterioration of these abandoned turrets and ramparts.

She starts running.

There was barely anyone around, other than dead souls laying on the castle's floor.

"Where is everybody?" she muttered between her teeth. Continuing her run.

She feared every option that came up to her head.

Fear is chained, fear is a knife in the gut slowly twisted, fear is a constant hammer on the head. Yet fear also evaporates like water under an early summer sun. When fear comes walk with confidence right past because like the ghosts of children's nightmares, fear is an illusion.

She heard people talking outside. Elizabeth quickly changed the way she was running and was devastated by the view.

Death eater's on one side.

Rest of the Hogwarts on the other.

Harry was pointing his wand towards Tom, and he was doing the same.

They were in the middle, alone. "No!" Elizabeth shouted, everyone turned around to see who the shout came from, "No! Stop this!"

Tom lowered his wand when he noticed her.

He smiled.

Elizabeth had memorized the way he smiled.

There were so many ways he did, only a few were told with his lips. There were times where he smiled with the lilt of his voice. Or an unexpected bounce in his stride.

There were times where he smiled with the choice of his words or the way he paused to hear a bird sing.

But her favorite kind was when he smiled with his arms that hug, that pulls her closer.

Although she knew, this smile didn't fit any of those categories.

Was he giving up?

 _"Flipendo!"_ Harry shouted a spell towards Tom, noticing how Elizabeth distracted him.

With the spell, Tom flew back. Crashing his back on the hard floor. Before he tried to stand up, Harry shouted another spell.

 _"Locomotor Wibbly!"_ It made his legs collapse, making them completely numb. Tom couldn't feel his legs anymore. He couldn't stand up.

And he was still looking at Elizabeth.

Not even trying to fight back.

"Stop!" Elizabeth shouted. She tried to run to Tom, but someone's arms held her back. The touch was familiar.

She leisurely tilted her head and noticed Draco Malfoy.

"LET ME GO!" she shouted, trying to reach Tom, "PLEASE! HARRY DON'T!"

Harry took a deep breath, he was hearing everything Elizabeth was saying, but his eyes were fixed on Tom. _"Avada-"_

"HARRY!" Elizabeth distracted him, Draco was still holding her back, "STOP PLEASE! HE IS NOT BAD! I SWEAR- I SWEAR HE IS GOOD!"

"He's got you brainwashed!" Ron shouted back from the crowd.

"He didn't!" Elizabeth yelled back, "Let me go Draco! Please!"

Seeing Elizabeth this way, Harry let her have a goodbye.

He lowered his wand, noticing his movement, Draco let Elizabeth out of his arms.

She ran to him.

"You promised to wait for me, at the top of the stairs," she whispered, placing his head on her lap.

"I'm sorry," Tom continued smiling at her, "But you knew we wouldn't last."

"No-no we will," Elizabeth smiled back, her tears dropping. "We deserve eternal happiness."

"You do," he gently placed his hand on her cheeks, "Go to the manor after the war, check my closet, there is a note in it. Read it. Will you?"

"We will, together," No matter how much Elizabeth tried, she couldn't believe her own words.

Tom leaned closer for a kiss, but before he could reach her lips, his head dropped. Realizing how weak he was getting by each minute, Elizabeth was the one to lower her head enough to make their mouths collide...one last time.

She didn't want to forget his scent. He still smelled like the ocean. Fresh. She thought, perhaps if she went to visits a beach with violet in her hand every day, she could still feel him there with her.

She didn't want to forget the way her bones shivered whenever he touched her, but by the end, her bones craved the touch.

The pain that once burned like fire in her mind had faded away to an icy numbness.

Black filled the edges of Tom's vision and the only thing he could hear was Elizabeth telling him to hold on, to be strong. His breath came in ragged, shallow gasps.

If he could have, he would laugh.

Laugh at how he managed to make Elizabeth be with him after all the troubles. Surely she could tell he was far too late to be saved.

_"You'll be the last person I think about in this world, Elizabeth."_

The ocean she wished poured down her eyes, "I don't understand," Elizabeth started shaking, "How did this happen? You were perfectly fine- I- Tom I don't-"

"Shh," his fingers brushed her hair away from her mouth, Elizabeth's tears falling down on his fingers, "Promise me, you will move on."

"What?"

"Promise me," he groaned, "You will move on, find a better man, have kids of your own," he painfully smiled at the thought, "I bet they will be just as stubborn as you."

Elizabeth was unsure if she should cry or laugh at his last sentence.

"Promise me to do everything I wished to do with you... with another person."

"Tom-" She held him tighter in her hands, "Don't-"

"Don't forget," he cut her off, feeling his last moments, _"I will watch over you. Because I- Because I love-"_

 _"Avada Kedavra!"_ Harry had found the perfect moment to end their goodbye.

_He couldn't even finish his sentence._

Elizabeth froze.

Tom was now completely lifeless in her arms. Her breathing became unstable. She didn't know what to do.

"Tom-" she shook his body, "Tom! Wake up! Open your eyes!" she shook it more, "Please! Don't-Don't leave me alone! Let me see your eyes one more time! Tom!"

Draco looked away from the scene.

Her vision blurred enough from her tears, she now couldn't make out his body in front of her. "He can't be-" she whispered to herself, "This is all a nightmare isn't it?" she looked over at Draco, "This can't be real."

The second she looked back at Tom, dead, in her arms, no one could stop her tears.

Then she admitted to herself, "He's dead. Tom is dead."

Malfoy went and sat next to her. Not a single word left his mouth. He just sat next to her. Knowing all she had in life was Tom, and knowing she had now lost her world.

"He's- he's dead, Draco," Elizabeth noticed him, "I can't- I don't- I- He won't come back to me." She gently placed her head on Malfoy's shoulder, pulling Tom's body closer to herself. She shut her eyes closed, replaying every memory they had together.

His laughter with her.

The way he hugged her.

The way his lips met hers.

Tom's smile when he noticed her presence.

However, the others in the battle-field couldn't agree. Most of them had smiles on their face, due to the fact that Harry defeated him.

One by one, they left the area.

Draco stood with Elizabeth until she was ready to leave his body there.

Harry still stood at the same exact spot, watching Elizabeth.

Ron had left.

Meanwhile, Hermione approached her. "Elizabeth," her body shook at the view of Tom being dead, "I am so-"

"You did it." she muttered between her teeth, at once she got up, slowly laying Tom on the floor, "You did it!" Elizabeth shouted at Harry. "Are you happy now? Do you feel like a hero?" she hit his shoulders, making him stumble backward, "YOU KILLED HIM! YOU TOOK HIS LIFE!"

Draco rushed next to her, but he didn't do anything. He let her kick Harry as much as she wanted.

Hermione was still kneeled down on the floor, she covered her mouth. Feeling genuinely sorry for Elizabeth. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see or hear anything. Turning her head away from the scene.

"Elizabeth-" Harry tried to speak, but she wasn't letting him. She continued kicking him, cursing him, blaming him.

Once her arms got sore, she fell down on her knees.

She turned around to give another look at Tom's dead corpse only to realize Ron and Neville were carrying the body away.

"No!" she screamed, she wasn't ready yet, "NO! DON'T!" she stood up and trembled as she started running to Tom, "BRING HIM BACK! BRING HIM... BACK!" she tripped and fell down due to her haste.

She was so alone.

_"The boy I loved was midnight, like the blue of the ocean cradled by the moonlight. The boy I loved was verdant, the very green of the hill kissed by the summer delight I gave him. The boy I love I can no longer reach, because he left, leaving trails of him all around me."_


	20. I Love You

**3 months later**

_He loved her so much she could still feel his echoes throughout her days._

She had lived in the Malfoy Manor since the battle, Draco and his mother taking care of her. She had barely left Tom's room.

Although, Elizabeth couldn't bring herself together to read the note he had left for her.

A gentle knock on the door, "Come in," Elizabeth answered.

"Hey," Draco entered, closing the door behind him, "I brought you breakfast."

_Even breakfast reminded her of Tom. Back to the day when she had come to him, and he had breakfast ready on a tray._

"I'm not hungry."

"You haven't eaten for a long time," he put the tray on Tom's desk, "You should-" then he noticed the note Tom had written on the desk. He grabbed it and walked to the bed to sit beside Elizabeth.

"Have you read it?"

"No," she paused, "I don't know how I can read it."

"May I?" he put his hand on her knees, "May I read it to you? It might be easier that way."

"Please," she begged.

Draco opened the note and started reading it out loud to her.

_Dear Elizabeth,_

Draco's facial expression changed when he recalled Tom was the one writing these words, he continued.

_Even writing the sound of the words is weird, but I think it'll make you happy. If you have learned the location of this note, it means, well, I am dead._

_I am so bad at writing. I think this might be my first time writing a letter._

Elizabeth chuckled, seeing her smile for the first time in months made Draco smile as well. He continued reading.

_You are right now on my bed, I had to give you a pillow to make you think it was me while writing this letter._

_You look so beautiful._

_There are so many unsaid words between me and you, I wish we had that many days to say it over and over again._

_But given the circumstances, I have to die._

_I want you to know, I could have easily defeated Potter. But if Potter died, I would have died as well. We were connected, in some way. It was those damned Horcruxes' fault._

_His death meant mine._

_But my death was just mine._

_I didn't want you to suffer two deaths, although I am guessing you might be a little sad over me being gone._

_I'm sorry I am not there to make you mad at me._

_If there was an escape out of this, I would choose you over and over again._

_But there isn't._

_I will love you forever, Elizabeth._

_And I will be awarded just because you loved me back. A person as stunning, and kind as you... loved a person as cruel as me._

_I am and will forever be the violet you are allergic to._

**_The End_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate me for the end <3
> 
> And that's a wrap of "breathless"!
> 
> It was an amazing journey, I learned a lot about writing throughout this story.   
> Thank you to everyone who read, commented, left kudos.
> 
> I hope you guys loved the book as much as I did! :)
> 
> I will continue writing more fanfiction. I am just going to take a little break to focus on other stuff and such. So, if you'd like, you can subscribe to me to stay updated on my next story.


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